Hou Moed to Yomelelani
The Hou Moed Centre was started in 2000 by a retired hospital administrator, Theo De Meyer, as a night shelter for the homeless on the disused Hermanus Airfield site owned by the Overstrand Municipality.
Hou Moed became a vibrant Youth centre, adding an after-school and recreational facilities. In 2003 a small area was set aside to create a Nursery/Preschool, which was the starting point of Yomelelani.
The Municipality was persuaded to grant a lease of the whole site to Yomelelani on condition that some of the buildings on the site were upgraded and a creche created. In 2015 plans were agreed and, with the help of a local Abalone Company, AQUNION, 5 classrooms, a creche, a recreation hall, modern toilet facilities, a sick bay, staff rooms, storage facilities and an outside play area were created at a cost of over R1.0m. The works were completed n 2016 enabling the school to increase enrolment to 100 children plus 20 babies.
In 2019/20 two new classrooms were created to equip 60 Grade R pupils (aged 6-7) for entry into Primary School. The project also included upgrading the kitchens and toilets as well as a major part of the roof. This was completed in early 2020 at the cost of over R500,000, funded by the Yomelelani Trust, a UK Charity. In 2022-23 a mezzanine floor was created to provide a third classroom for 30 additional pre Grade R pupils.
