World Play Day

World Play Day will be celebrated in over 30 countries on 28th May 2012.

This year Cotlands will be hosting special events for kids at each of our Toy Libraries and partner ECD centres.

The main focus will be to create fun play opportunities for children focusing on indigenous games and improvised toys.

We invite you to participate by bringing your children along to your nearest Toy Library or by visiting a participating ECD centre.

We encourage you to take full advantage of the planned activities on offer and to come prepared to create fun DIY toys as well.

If you run an ECD centre and would like to participate in World Play Day please feel free to contact us here at Cotlands before May 20 and we can help put together the perfect activity plan.

At Cotlands we believe that every child has a right to play and as we celebrate the magic of play we ask that you also consider those children who do not have access to toys or safe play areas.

The gift of play should be freely accessible to all, but in the rush of everyday life bigger socio-economic problems such as housing, food and clothing often take centre stage and other important developmental issues are ignored.

Dr. Freda Kim (founder of World Play Day) explains that children do not have the language tools to verbalise their trauma, frustrations or to express themselves. Children need to act out their tragedy and deal with trauma in their lives through play.

We aim to give all children the opportunity to play and to express themselves through play as it is through play that our community caregivers can gage how we at Cotlands can offer support and assistance that will benefit the child.

You can help us reach our goal by donating towards our play day activities and Toy Libraries that aim to service some of South Africa’s neediest children.

Shape tomorrows heroes by allowing them to play today.

World Play Day Venues:

Gauteng: Turfontein Toy Library	134 Stanton Street Turfontein
Contact:	Getrude Mabeza
Tel:	011 693 7200

Gauteng: Soweto Toy Library	Cotlands Community Centre 802 Phase 3 Diepkloof, Soweto
Contact:	Getrude Mabeza
Tel:	011 693 7200

Eastern Cape Toy Library	11b Tecoma Street, Berea East London
Contact:	Patricia Gunn
Tel:	+27 43 721 1722

Western Cape ECD Centre	5 Ray Street Macassar
Contact:	Runika Miles
Tel:	021 852 3527

Western Cape Toy Library	1 Fah Street Macassar
Contact:	Runika Miles
Tel:	021 852 3527

KZN Hlabisa Toy Library	55 Saunders Street, Hlabisa Kwa Zulu-Natal, 3937
Contact:	Nozizwe Dladla-Qwabe
Tel:	+27 35 838 1948 / +27 35 838 1304

Mpumalanga ECD Centre	Kiwi Farm, Bonschfontein Road Lydenburg
Contact:	Thandi Mdaka
Tel:	+27 73 758 4987

National Footprint

Latest Happenings

Transformation Update – Februay 2012

In the first week of February 2012 the health, education and psychosocial specialists and the regional managers from all the provinces convened in Gauteng, Turffontein.  A number of work sessions were conducted and we are proud of achieving the following outcomes:

·        Feedback was given on the results of the community needs assessments.  This will be used to align our services to the needs in communities.

·        The role of the nurse, social worker, community caregiver, toy librarian and programme leader within the integrated model was finalised.  Further sessions are being planned on project level with the whole integrated team.

·        The services being offered to beneficiaries within the integrated community programmes were reviewed and the stats that need to be collected finalised.

·        Budget discussions were held with each regional manager.

During February and March a Cotlands Integrated Manual will be finalised which will be used to capacitate staff to implement the Integrated Community Programme.  In each project a strategy will be crafted on how the implementation of the integrated programmes will unfold from April 2012 onwards.