DURBAN

A sustainable way of spending your money on things that really matter.
All our proceeds go to support ECD projects in underprivileged areas.

Come on in, let’s show you around.

DURBAN

A sustainable way of spending your money on things that really matter.
All our proceeds go to support educational projects in underprivileged areas.

Come on in, let’s show you around.

Chic Mamas Do Care Durban

In Durban, we are involved with several ECD Centres; Umzamo Day Care Centre in Reservoir Hills, Zamokuhle Crèche & Preschool in KwaDabeka, Sphethamandla Preschool and Crèche in Clermont and our Latest investment in the Valley Trust School in The Valley of Thousand Hills.

Our goal is to equip and empower the ECD Centres to operate as fully independent and self-sustaining preschools.

Umzamo’s installation took place in 2015 and has become an inspiration and beacon of hope for the informal settlement it serves and the fifty little people it cares for.

Zamokhule moved into their fully operational preschool in 2019 and have flourished serving their adjacent community.

In 2022 we welcomed Sphelthamandla Preschool and Crèche into the fold. This ECD Centre is situated in Clermont, and has exceeded all expectation to become a thriving centre of excellence. The School has grown so quickly that they now have 3 full classrooms and we have extended the size of the property too.

At the end of 2023, after three years of mentorship, Sekusile Day Care Centre was considered sufficiently equipped and empowered to operate independently of Chic Mamas’ oversight and were proudly released into a very promising future.

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Meet the Team of
Chic Mamas Do Care, Durban

Debbie Mac heads up a team of 24 volunteers whose dominant interests include a passion for fashion and/or education.

The team focuses on uplifting Early Childhood Development conditions in impoverished areas around Durban. Grants from corporates, and funds raised at three fashion events during the year, are invested in the maintenance of existing preschools; the installation and equipping of new preschools; and sponsoring accredited ECD training for teachers at those preschools.

The mission of this team is to see flourishing, stand-alone preschools with teachers who are equipped and empowered to release school-ready preschoolers into Grade R. This team believes that early childhood development is foundational to success in life and that effective ECD can ultimately break the cycle of poverty for many individuals.

Meet Debbie Mac, Shop Manager Chic Mamas Do Care, Durban

I have been a volunteer at Chic Mamas Durban for nearly 8 years and my journey here has been a very fulfilling and rewarding one. I was appointed as Manager of our Durban shop in May 2023 and was involved with the launch of our new Hillcrest branch at The Colony Shopping Centre. At present I run our social media pages, source donations, oversee the merchandising of our shop and ensure our rails are well stocked.

I am privileged to be managing and working alongside a dynamic team of dedicated, extraordinary women, who always show up and have huge hearts. Every volunteer brings different strengths and skills, ensuring a well run shop. Without these fabulous Mamas we wouldn’t be able to do what we do and I salute each one of them.

The support from our loyal customers is what keeps us going, so I am committed to maintaining the high standard and quality they have become accustomed to, as well as providing good service which is the exception rather than the rule these days. Our shop has become a happy, safe haven for many, a place where women feel comfortable, welcome and uplifted. Many of our customers have become friends and this is what makes working at Chic Mamas so special.

I am passionate about style, making women feel good in the skin they are in and giving them the confidence and self-worth they deserve. I am in my happy place when I am interacting with the customers and helping them find something fabulous! Buying preloved is one of the best eco-friendly lifestyle changes individuals can make and I feel so fortunate to be part of the journey to a more sustainable environment and better future for us all.

I have a big heart for our reason for being, a visit to our projects and seeing the change we are making only drives me to do more. I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude for all we have managed to achieve and I look forward to uplifting and transforming as many more little lives as we can, one garment at a time.

Meet Debbie Jones, Project Manager Chic Mamas Do Care, Durban

Debbie Jones – Volunteer in the Shop and Project Manager for Chic Mamas Do Care Durban.

I am currently heading up the managing of all the schools in Durban and surrounds.

I studied as a Teacher for 4 years. I am married with 3 wonderful Children, and lucky to have grandchildren too. I was fortunate enough to be able to be home with my children, but worked in a variety of businesses, including estate agency and selling new clothes.

I am passionate about working to help the less fortunate people living in this world. I headed up many School committees throughout the years of my Children’s Schooling, and fundraised for the schools that my children attended. You get a lot of fulfilment from contributing and giving back!

Being a perfectionist drives my passion for excellence!

I have been involved in Chic Mamas for approximately 10 years now. I love fashion and the fact that we are helping communities with selling pre-loved clothing is just amazing. Helping the planet and helping people are two of my passions!

We have the most amazing team of volunteers working in Durban and we have all made lifelong friendships along the way.

Meet the Team of
Chic Mamas Do Care, Durban

Jenny heads up a team of 24 volunteers whose dominant interests include a passion for fashion and/or education.

Meet Jenny Du Bois, Coordinator of Chic Mamas Do Care, Durban

Jenny has been part of the Durban Mamas since August 2013.

She is an ex-teacher with a BSC HDE qualification.
She is married to Mark and they have two married sons and young grandchildren.

Whilst she joined Chic Mamas with a strong fashion interest, her heart now leans more strongly towards seeing transformation in the lives of the preschoolers and communities served by this team.

Meet Natalie, our Durban Shop Manager

Natalie Maccallum joined the Durban Mamas in early 2019. Her passion for fashion and experience in the field of Early Childhood Development rapidly made her a valued member of the team.

In early 2021, Natalie was appointed manager of the Durban Chic Mamas shop, and of Durban’s component of the Chic Mamas online website, Love It Again. She oversees both areas with style, efficiency and excellence fuelled by an unrelenting passion for fashion and all things preloved. Her willingness to go the extra mile and make a difference shines through in all Natalie’s dealings with appreciative supporters, who leave the shop feeling uplifted and valued.

Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others!

B.T. Washington

We are a MySchool MyVillage
MyPlanet beneficiary

Nominate us as a beneficiary if you are a Woolworths Rewards card holder. Please nominate Chic Mamas for your “My School, My Village, My Planet”-card swipes.

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Our Children

Impoverished children often enter the school system physically, socially, cognitively and emotionally under-developed, thereby lacking the foundations to cope with literacy, numeracy and life-skills at school. Thanks to the ongoing vision, mission and commitment of Chic Mamas Do Care Durban, we are giving children these foundations and making a real difference to their futures. There are extensive needs amongst the ‘unseen’ communities right on our doorstep, so we select projects where we can add great value and inject hope into the children’s lives who we touch. The early childhood phase is highly specialised, requiring teachers to be equipped with the skills and insights that enable their calling to be most effective. We therefore invest heavily in teacher training and development.

Our World

We are also passionate about promoting conscious shopping habits and facilitating the reuse and recycling of pre-loved quality clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories. The global fashion industry is today, the world’s second biggest polluter and buying preloved is one of the best eco-friendly lifestyle changes individuals can make. Thanks to Chic Mamas Do Care, our customers can lighten their environmental footprint, contribute to the circular economy and support sustainability. It’s also fun and the perfect opportunity for a regular wardrobe overhaul, without doing damage to the world around us.

Projects We Support

Umzamo Day Care Centre
Preschool and Creche

We met the amazing Nomusa Dlungwana who single-handedly cared for up to 20 children, 6 days per week, aged from 3mths to 6yrs. Whilst the children were being safely baby sat, there was no awareness of the need for developmental stimulation, and under those trying circumstances it simply wasn’t possible.

Fast forward to 2020, and Umzamo is now a fully functional preschool and crèche. It is positioned on a spacious site on the edge of the informal settlement. Safely fenced, it consists of three classroom structures, 2 play areas, a water-harvesting system and ablutions.

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House of Hope Preschool
and Creche

The supervisor of House of Hope, Maureen Dlamini, approached Chic Mamas in early 2016 for assistance. She was caring for 35 children in a 4m x 5m room in her home and requested help with larger premises. After many challenges, the new House of Hope preschool opened in November 2017.

It is fully fenced, for security and safety and Chic Mamas installed a large 12m converted container classroom and water harvesting system. The beautiful playground equipment was sponsored by SA HOME LOANS and waterless ablutions were sponsored by Envir-Loo.

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Chic Mama, Anneke with Teacher, Bongi and Supervisor, Zethu Mbali

Zamokuhle Preschool
and Creche

From day one, this project rolled out with favour at every turn. By mid July 2019, within a month of the land being levelled, the new Zamokuhle preschool was installed and operational. Grants from MySchool Card, LUSH SA and CMH, together with Chic Mamas funding, has produced a vibrant preschool consisting of two converted container classroom, waterless ablutions, a playground and a water harvesting system.

Zethu has employed three assistants.One completed her Educare Training, one begun training through the council and Zethu began her first year at Caversham Education Institute in Feb 2020.

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Teacher Training
Caversham Education Institute

Unless teachers are adequately equipped, they are unable to provide their preschoolers with the vital stimulation and early development children need for school readiness. We believe that our best means of impacting the greatest number of preschoolers, is through properly trained teachers.

One of our objectives is for our school supervisors to become empowered to function independently of Chic Mamas. Post installation, we walk alongside the schools for a limited period, assisting where necessary and guiding them in areas where skills or knowledge is lacking.

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Entrepreneurial Project
Jumble Bags

In the communities associated with the schools we’ve installed, there are many unemployed women. Additionally, the schools need to raise additional funds.
The Durban team bags and sells jumble/unsold stock for a nominal amount to the women and to schools. All monies we receive from the sale of the bags is deposited.

Both groups then reap whatever profit they’re able to make. Part of their earnings is used to purchase further bags. This project allows the unemployed women to put food on the table and the schools to cover costs such as printing, taxi fares to training etc.

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