“The Princess and the Pea" is a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen which tells of a princess who was so delicate that she could feel the discomfort of a single uncooked pea buried under twenty mattresses. The garage at The Domino Foundation’s offices was filled with twenty mattresses (it really was!) destined for very small princesses (and princes in Early Childhood Development centres partnering with the NPO through the community-heartedness of Northwood School. Estate manager, Sheldon Stevenson, explained that the school’s boarding establishment is undergoing some make-over. As Domino is almost directly over Adelaide Tambo Avenue from Northwood which has long been a supporter of the NPO and its seven programmes, a deserving home could be found through them.
Domino’s ECD liaison manager, Zanele Nzimakwe, added that most toddlers need a midday nap until they are between 3 and 4. Many behavioural challenges like meltdowns, clumsiness, whining and difficulty in focusing are issues which a lunchtime-hour asleep can help alleviate. “These mattresses will be recovered by ladies in the community and then given to some of the centres we work with and naptime will become so much more restful for all concerned.”
Zanele explained that her programme works with 36 ECD centres and that most of them still need comfortable mattresses to make the small people’s 12 o’clock snooze break part of their routine which really makes a difference. Anyone with a mattress in a reasonable state of repair which needs a new home can contact Zanele at ecdlink @ domino.org.za or on 031 110 0730.
