- Foreword
- Chapter 1 – Jill Sachs Smith
- Chapter 2 – Khwezi Mkhathini
- Chapter 3 – Kumarie Mohan
- Chapter 4 – Carry Paterson
- Chapter 5 – Jabu Mtheku
- Chapter 6 – Sue Bonney
- Chapter 8 – Grace Khanyile
Meeting Phindile today, it is hard to imagine her as anything other than the successful, confident woman and mother she is, but her journey has been tough, filled with innumerable obstacles that she believes have allowed for her personal growth, making her stronger in the process.
A second-born daughter, Phindi was raised in Clermont, Durban, by her father and grandfather. Although her grandmother died when Phindi was young, she had already instilled a deep faith in her, and this faith is fundamental in her everyday life. Her Granny was a nurse and a Sunday school teacher and taught her the Psalms, with Psalm 139 being Phindi’s mainstay – Wonderfully and fearfully made.
Phindi sets great store by an ankh that symbolizes creation and the path of life and that provides her with a sense of security. From 2007 when I became a teenage mom I got lost in a way that all my dreams of becoming a nurse were wiped away. All my relatives told me that I had no future. Then in 2009 while volunteering at my church Pre-Primary school in Clermont, called Abantwana BeNkosi, a supervisor advised me to apply at Caversham Education Institute so that I could have better understanding of the early childhood industry.
During this time, Phindi was supported by family members and friends. Her father stood by her through her pregnancy, resisting social pressure to throw her out. Although her grandfather passed away when she was in grade 12, Phindi believes his calm character influenced her own approach to life. She was also mentored by two of her Sunday school teachers, Mr Motsabi and Miss Dudu Mkhize, who saw her potential and urged her to make something of herself instead of taking her own life.
As a result of their encouragement, Phindi enrolled at Caversham in 2012, and this is when she and Jill first met. It was a very hard year for the young teenage mum, but she was determined to make something of herself. At the same time as studying, she was nursing her father, who had developed full-blown Aids. Thankfully, she found the lecturers were all warm and encouraging. Carry Paterson was her specific lecturer, and Phindi is grateful to her for making things accessible and practical as she dealt with her studies as well as the complexities of her personal situation.
In her second year at Caversham, Phindi’s aunt committed suicide; another traumatic experience for the young woman. However, at the end of her third year, she graduated with a National Diploma in ECD, and her father, having pulled through illness, came to her graduation. Phindi notes that he was the only remaining one of his childhood friends – all the others of his generation had passed away. His presence was cause for even more celebration than her being the first of her siblings to achieve a tertiary education.
Phindi believes her purpose is to help others, but this realization was solidified through an extreme event when she lost her much longed-for second baby in 2021. Her maternity leave was a period of recovery and healing, but instead of descending into depression, Phindi actively made a decision to achieve something. In doing this, she focused on the Hourglass process of Reflection, Dialogue, CreAction™and Ownership. This is when the Caversham Mentorship Programme was born.
Because of her willingness to help others, Phindi was frequently asked for advice by students and teachers, covering a wide range of topics they encountered in the ECD activities. This is where she felt she could add value, and she set about developing and implementing a programme to train others in dealing with the variety of challenges that arise. This programme has become a mainstay of CEI.
In addition to her family, the Caversham family and Mr Motsabi, Phindi was inspired by Mrs Cahill, the 80+year-old principal at Phindi’s first teaching post. Mrs Cahill taught her professional patience and to look on her role as serving the children in their development.
Jill: Phindi makes a huge contribution to Caversham as head mentor. She is a natural leader who is accepted and respected by the other mentors who are all dynamic, confident women.
Phindi remains passionate about teaching little people, and firmly believes “you get out what you put in”. She plans to open her own school when the time is right, and because she is motivated, inspired and inspiring, this is bound to become a reality. She envisions it as being a model school where Caversham students can build their own confidence and teaching skills.
In Jill’s words, “ Phindi is a constant blessing for Caversham.”