Education
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Early Childhood Education

By the age of 2, a baby’s brain will have reached 80% of its adult size. The quality of a child’s experiences during the first 1000 days of their life establishes the foundation for everything that follows in their growth and development.

At The Almond Tree we aim to ensure that the babies and children in our care are stimulated and nurtured, promoting early childhood development to prepare them for their educational career.

Our vision is that every child is given the opportunities to become a leader in society and a change-agent for the future of South Africa.

The Almond Tree educational branch encompasses an early childhood development and stimulation program for babies up to three years old. From three years old our children are enrolled at The Nurture Nest Pre-school where they are encouraged to investigate, explore and learn through creative play. Guided play is encouraged using an “enquiry approach” to encourage the personal development of each child.

Observations are recorded tracking age-appropriate milestones and daily observations are made to monitor development.

The following early learning development areas are focal points of the pre-school learning program: Well-being of the child, identity and belonging, communication, exploring mathematics, creativity and knowledge & understanding of the world through creative play.

Traumatic experiences can result in delayed cognitive development and therefore our education team focus on the wholistic development of each child to ensure that while learning, restoration and rehabilitation also take place.

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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.