Our Facilities

Nurture Nest Pre-school (Early Childhood Development Centre)

For enrolment details and to make an appointment to visit the school – contact: nurturenest@thealmondtree.co.za or call 061 366 0115.

Nurture Nest Pre-school Overview
The Nurture Nest Pre-school is nestled in the heart of Cloverdene, Benoni at the Almond Tree Children’s Village. Our motto is, ‘Nurturing little lives, to reach exceptional heights’.

Our focus is to create as many opportunities for children to learn through play. We value the importance of building the fundamental foundations in all learning areas and have seen how an early childhood development curriculum can impact a child’s life in a positive way.

Education should tap into a child’s identity, give them a sense of belonging and teach them to become valuable members of society.

The pre-school was established to cater for our Village children and to include children from our local community. It is our heart for our school to become a bridge into the community and our desire is to build relationships within our local community.

We believe that all children should have access to quality education, despite their economical background.

Nurture Nest Curriculum
We follow an Early Childhood Development Curriculum (CAPS aligned) that focuses on the six early learning and development areas (ELDAs) which integrate the three themes and twelve principles. These six learning and development areas are; Well-being, Identity and belonging, Communication, Exploring Mathematics, Creativity and Knowledge and understanding of the world.

We have a wonderful playground which has been set up in such a way to create learning opportunities for the children and to ensure the development of the ‘wholistic’ child.

We cater for Grade 000s (2.5/3 to 4-year age group), Grade 00 (4 to 5-year age group) and Grade R (5 to 6-year age group).

Nurturing the ‘wholistic’ child includes the importance of a healthy diet and therefore we are passionate about the health and nutrition of our children. Our school offers well-balanced menus and the children have a cooked breakfast, fruit & sandwich snack and cooked lunches, freshly prepared on site by our school cook. Children are encouraged to drink water at all meals and can always access fresh water.

Our children are taught the importance of hygiene and a toilet routine forms an important part of their daily schedule.

Nurture Nest Staff
Angela McQueen

Angela Powell

Principal & Teacher
B Prim Ed (Foundation Phase)
SACE Certified

Angela McQueen graduated from Wits University with a bachelor’s degree in Primary Education, specialising in Foundation Phase (Grade R to Grade 3). She has been in Education for 18 years and has taught from Early Years, right through to Year 7, however, remains passionate about the fundamental foundations of early childhood development.

Angela has taught in local schools within the Benoni community and has taught in the United Kingdom for 5 years. She is a passionate teacher, thinks out of the box and values each child for their own ‘learning style’. She believes that all children should access a high standard of education despite their economic background!

Yvonne Lunga

Yvonne Lunga

Little Robins Playgroup (2 to 3)
ECD Level 5 Practitioner
Kedibone Mthimkhulu

Kedibone Mthimkhulu

Dashing Ducklings Class (Grade RRR – 3 to 4)
ECD Level 4&5 Practitioner
Thandie Kgalangobe

Thandie Kgalangobe

Outstanding Owls Class (Grade RR – 4 to 5)
ECD Level 4 and Higher Diploma Level 5 ECD Practitioner
Ellen Nyosi

Ellen Nyosi

Exceptional Eagles Class (Grade R – 5 to 6)
Grade R Teacher and Coordinator
Bachelor Degree in Foundation Phase
Thalitha Malemela

Thalitha Malemela

Grade RR Teacher and ECD Lead Teacher
Unisa Grade R Higher Diploma
Betty

Betty Mahlangu

ECD Cook
Basic Food Handling Course
Eddie Mahlatsie

Eddie Mahlatsie

Groundsman & Maintenance

For enrolment details and to make an appointment to visit the school – contact: nurturenest@thealmondtree.co.za or call 061 366 0115.

Tjissie Trul

My name is Tjissie Trul, Volunteering in Africa has been a dream of mine since my early twenties. Family life caused this dream to be postponed to my 49th year of life. A friend drew my attention to the project The Almond Tree in South Africa. After visiting their website, I became enthusiastic and their vision and target group touched my heart. Coincidentally, the founders would come to the Netherlands in June 2022, so I spoke to them. It clicked and the next step was taken. I volunteered myself! Because I have received permission from my employer to take three months off. I left for South Africa on Monday, September 5, 2022, where I was allowed to use my passion and talents for the project The Almond Tree.

Now three months later I can say that it has been life changing for me. Let go of my own life and share in the life of the almond tree. The children, moms, people from the office, teachers, guards, people who maintain the garden and cleaners, they are all part of a beautiful and special project. They contribute in their own way. I have experienced that the children are central so that they can grow up in a safe, healthy and loving environment. I enjoyed working with the children and taking care of them with love. In addition, I experienced something of God's love through the people and children. What a privilege to give 3 months of my life and share in the greater whole of God's kingdom.

Tjissie Trul

Jasmine Kok

My name is Jasmine, I am from the Netherlands. In 2019 I visited the Almond Tree. It was great to be here. I could not let go of the place. You see God's love in action and can feel His peace on the village. Despite the brokenness. A year later, God asked me to support TAT for six months with practical work and I became their first International Volunteer. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to stay on The Almond Tree Children's Village. This was an amazing experience for me, I loved working with the children and building relationships with them. Working at TAT has changed me in a positive way and brought me closer to God's love.

Jasmine Kok

Ashly Main

I have been a volunteer at TAT for almost 2 years. I heard about TAT via a friend and was so touched by her enthusiasm that I contacted Jo and joined the next volunteer training day. This was still at the old premises in Oak Street. I loved the training, the TAT staff and most of all the littlies and couldn’t wait to become more involved. I worked in HR for many years so, although I was involved in many CSI projects, it was more in a business and overview role and I yearned for a more hands on roles once I stopped working fulltime. Not long after I started volunteering, Charms asked me whether I would be interested in kangarooing baby M so that he could bond and become emotionally stronger and happier. I came in for a few hours most days to kangaroo, bath and feed him and, by being in the home so often, I not only fell head over heels in love with Baby M, but also with the other babies and the carer Mammas. I have since kangaroo’d a number of babies – and have just said farewell to darling Baby S who I had the privilege to love for just over a year until he went to his forever family. I love all the little people in our care, but by the nature of kangarooing, I think those babies and I share a closer bond and, although it is hard to say farewell, it is the best thing in the world knowing that I have had the opportunity to make a difference in each little ones life, enabling them to feel secure, loved and able to trust. Although I love helping with the tiny babies, it is also so much fun spending time with the toddlers – they make me laugh at their antics and endless energy and mischief. It is so exciting to see all the little ones overcome obstacles, achieve their milestones and most of all to pass them over to their families, whether these are natural or adoptive. I believe that our babies learn many life lessons at TAT – they learn to share, to love and be loved, to be patient, to respect and care for others. A ‘regular’ day as a volunteer is seldom regular – each shift depends on what is required on the day! It is so heart-warming to enter the home and see how happy the children are to see me – smiles, arms up in the air to be picked up and sometimes a squeal of excitement and a rush to beat the others to say hello. My job consists of simply holding the little ones, playing, filling up their love tanks, feeding, changing nappies, bathing, taking them to doctor’s appointments, on outings and helping them develop so that they can tackle the world with confidence. Apart from the children, I have made wonderful relationships with the management, the other volunteers and most of all the Mamma’s who care for our babies. It is a privilege to be a part of their lives and hear the stories of their families and their trials and tribulations. We have become a close knit and supportive group. My daughters are also volunteers and our experiences have changed our family in many ways – all for the better!

Ashly

Alicia Paul

My name is Alicia Paul and I am a mom to two young kids. I am very blessed to be home with my children, but as my son started school I found myself wanting to do more. From as young as I can remember, I have always had a passion for children. Vulnerable children have a very special place in my heart and I never imagined the difference I could make to the lives of vulnerable children until now. I had been interested in this work since 2014 when Charmaine started out with Swallow’s Nest place of safety from her home. I always knew I wanted to get involved and through a series of beautiful events my path led to The Almond Tree. I started volunteering at The Almond Tree in August 2017. I discovered a passion for working with the toddler age group. I grew to love the interaction with them and loved the excitement they would show when I would walk into the room. Volunteering on a regular basis comes with the satisfaction of a special bond between you and the children, which is extremely rewarding. It is amazing to share in the joy as they reach their milestones, the toddlers grow daily in leaps and bounds. I have so much love for them as I observe how they learn to talk, learn to feed themselves, how they learn to ride their bikes and how they learn to let go of their little pieces of comforts and security as they face each new day. They have a love for learning and get so excited for every new step they take whether it's emotionally or physically. These little ones sometimes come in broken and full of fear, but with the unlimited love, care and dedication they get from The Almond Tree staff, mama's and volunteers they can only leave stronger than before. The Almond Tree toddlers have stolen my heart and I look forward to being a positive influence in their lives for as long as they are part of The Almond Tree family.

Alicia

Granny Di Lavis

I am fortunate to have been part of The Almond Tree since May 2016. I heard about The Almond Tree after seeing a call on a friend’s Facebook page requesting donations of “fleecy baby grows”. I decided to help and when I went to drop off the donation, I was invited in and this is where it all began. I believe volunteering is more about what you put in than what you can get out of it. It is a privilege to share in the lives of these little precious people. The moments when you experience their first smile, sitting up, a first tooth and right up to their first step are priceless and precious moments I cherish. The happiness and tears of joy experienced when a baby is released into their forever family is wonderful. As much as you become part of their daily lives, there is always a respect for the care-givers or “mamas” as we fondly call them, ensuring that all their guidance and instructions are followed. Once a baby comes through the doors of The Almond Tree, all their needs will be met in a loving environment. I am truly grateful to The Almond Tree for the privilege and opportunity to be a part of the Volunteer Program.