The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has begun the construction of the Yetta Nathan Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Community Centre on behalf of the City of Johannesburg's Social Development Department.

The Yetta Nathan ECD Centre, a resource-efficient green building, will build stronger local communities, support children's education and development, and serve as a multifunctional, sustainable, and safe environment to provide children with enhanced playing and learning experience.

It will be an extension of the existing multi-purpose community facility and will encapsulate modern childhood development facilities. It includes classrooms, play spaces, indoor and outdoor ancillary spaces like kitchens, libraries, and toy stores.

“The construction will be in two phases, the first phase expected to start this month, with completion after eight months and phase two to begin on 01 November 2022," said Cllr Belinda Echeozonjoku, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Development Planning.

The construction site for the new 2 875m² Yetta Nathan ECD Centre is located on November Street in Orlando West, Soweto.

The external portions of the buildings will consist of safe playing spaces and an agricultural component. The lower ground facility features a 17m² aqua farm area to allow hydroponic farming, a soil-less, water-based farming process, which is a greener approach to agricultural production.

Speaking at the recent sod-turning ceremony, Health and Social Development MMC Cllr Ashley Sauls 1 said: “I trust that the new Yetta Nathan ECD and Community Centre will enhance the good work done at this facility. It is encouraging that the main objective of this centre is to provide inclusive developmental programs to children ages nought to five."

The Yetta Nathan ECD training centre, which dates back to the Second World War, eventually became a creche in 1953. The Yetta Nathan ECD Training Facility became the City of Johannesburg's first early childhood development centre in 2003.

10/05/2022​