How it all began
In 1992 Alta Nieuwoudt and her husband Isaack adopted a little girl. Stephanie had severe disabilities and despite this, they fully embraced and loved their daughter.
Alta and Isaack wanted to provide the best care possible for Stephanie but found that there wasn’t a day care centre for children with disabilities in the area. They soon realised that there were other families in the same situation, who didn’t have access to support or a place to care for their children.
Alta founded the Centre in May 1998 in a small room on the present property. The caring couple collected children from disadvantaged communities in their own car so they could attend the Centre.
By the end of 2009, the Bizweni Centre had moved into a beautiful new building with three classrooms, built out of the fundraising efforts of the local Helderberg Rotary Club.
In 2016, two additional classrooms were built to accommodate 12-18 year old children.
We are forever grateful to the Helderberg Rotary Club for catching the vision of the Centre and making the expansion possible.
Although our Centre has grown and expanded over the years, its core values have remained the same.
We provide a safe, loving environment, conducive to learning and development.
Every child with disabilities should have access to education to reach their full potential.
We are a team
It takes a special kind of person to work at our Centre…
The Bizweni educational and therapeutic staff is comprised of a dynamic, dedicated and caring team.
This includes teachers, therapists, class assistants, administrators, fundraiser, drivers and housekeeping staff, who work together to provide a welcoming and learning-rich environment for 67 children with special needs.
We take pride in what we do and the high level of care we provide.
Vicky Hinrichsen
Centre Manager
Dinks Rankin
Financial Manager
Debbie Bone
Fundraiser/Social Media Manager
Simone’ Coetzee
Administrator
Board of Governors
Chairman – Justus Swart
Vice Chairman – Lwazi Mankahla
Treasurer – Daniel De Villiers
Secretary – Dinks Rankin
Member – Stephan Mack
Member – Russell Julies
Chelsea v/d Berg
Speech Therapist
Chenell Myers
Occupational Therapist
Juanne Paul
Occupational Therapist
Mienie Diedericks
Life Skills Coordinator
Sauney Coetzee
Therapy Support
Charlene Maswinda
ECD Practioner
Caroline Moletsane
ECD Practitioner
Miriam Blom
ECD Practitioner
Yolisa Pekula
Senior Carer
Sandra Morris
Class Assistant
Irene Mutswiri
Class Assistant
Zandiswa Ketani
Class Assistant
Maria Hoffman
Lifeskills Practitioner
Charlene Masindwa
ECD practitioner
Nosabelo Vumazonke
Class Assistant
Gaynore Bell
Class Assistant
Frances Leibrandt
Class Assistant
Nothini Tyityi
Class Assistant
Amanda Sohuma
Class Assistant
Levonia Fortuin
Class Assistant
Leeanne Nel
Class Assistant
Taylor Marais
Class Assistant
Shannon Allies
Class Assistant
Juanita Tembo
Class Assistant
Charles Adriaanse
Driver
Francois Vogelzang
Driver
Gift Mpofu
Driver
Nancy Mudtuda
Housekeeper
