adminMorris Mtisi
Mrs Paidamwoyo Sam’s Little Leaders pre-School is growing from strength to strength.
Mooted at home and operating from there only a year ago, with hardly 20 children, the kindergarten this year boasts 46 children receiving Early Childhood Development. The hard-working director and proprietor of the ever-growing Little Leaders School continues to cultivate a good story to tell.
Speaking at the prize-giving and graduation ceremony held at the pre-school’s new premises in Penhalonga, Mrs Sam thanked parents and well wishers present and absent who supported the cause of the ECD centre, for a job well done.
“I have good news and bad news. The good news is that relevant assessors visited us during the year and expressed confidence in our work.
“We look forward to an operating license anytime soon. I owe this success to parents who worked tirelessly to make this school one of its kind to operate out of town,” said Mrs Sam to parents and invited guests who were gracing the colourful occasion.
She went on to share her vision without forgetting to mention the challenges and indeed bad news that threatened accomplishment of her dreams, chief among them late payment and sometimes non-payment of fees.
“Most of you pay your child-minders at home an average $80 per month. What is $50 per month I am asking for here for your loved little ones to receive not only care and food but also early childhood learning?”
She called a spade a spade and frankly expressed her disappointment with some headstrong parents who were not grateful at the same time failing to hide her natural passion and love for children whom she promised the best under very difficult financial stress.
Guest speaker at the ceremony, The Manica Post guest columnist and educational materials writer, Morris Mtisi, advised Mai Sam to learn to work with her “enemies” saying, “ Leadership, they say, is like photography. You have to work with Negatives. Leadership often involves having to work with one’s enemies. Do not listen or pay attention to haters and detractors. Do your work. Such people are found in every place where a great idea is taking shape,” said Mtisi.
At the end of the graduation ceremony, a group of parents, one of them Mrs Rongai, the Chinzvende couple and others, agreed it was a good idea to organise a fund-raising show at the Little Leaders School at the beginning of 2015, to assist Mrs Sam to assist the community’s children with the wonderful work she is doing.
Wherever children are being developed, it is a truth that a future nation is also being built.
Well done to Mrs Sam and of course her husband Peter Sam, without whose illustrious support the wife would find the canoe tougher to paddle alone.
Lest we totally forget the men at the back stage!
Online Reporter