Branson, Slater open Mpumalanga creche

A small, colourful building has brought hope to an impoverished and disease-stricken Mpumalanga community.

Billionaire humanitarian Richard Branson and actor Christian Slater have helped brighten up the rural Dumphries Village by building a new crèche for local kids.

The Akani Crèche opened on Monday, with 31 children currently enrolled. The number is set to increase. 

Slater – who previously sponsored the building and opening of another crèche in the area, the Jeremiah crèche, in 2008 – says Akani was a birthday gift to Branson.

"It's quite a birthday present," says Branson.

Says Slater: "Education is the best way to raise everybody’s level of awareness. To build a crèche like this and start kids off in the right direction is certainly a phenomenal investment."

He was introduced to the Dumphries community through Pride 'n Purpose, a community development project co-funded by the Ulusaba private game reserve and Virgin United (both owned by Branson), the philanthropic wing of the Virgin brand.

Branson also believes education is key, stating: "If you can educate kids then they've got a chance. And [if you] keep them healthy, then you've got a chance of them getting jobs."

He says: "[Slater has] been good enough to put his hand into his pocket and fund this school."

Slater has also been sponsoring other projects since first getting involved in humanitarian work in South Africa five years ago.

Virgin Unite chief executive, Jean Oelwang, says: "The other great thing that he's funding is boreholes for water and sustainable gardens so the whole thing becomes sustainable itself. [Slater has] been great."

She says Slater's Jeremiah crèche "inspired lots of other people to want to come in and help support the area".

Slater talks about the enthusiasm of the Dumphries teachers and children, making a comparison between the United States and South Africa.

"It's not like this in America," he says. "You build a school for kids in America and they just take it for granted.

Here it's a parade. It's really appreciated and thoroughly embraced. The kids are just eager and anxious. They're just little sponges ready to learn."

He says: "This is certainly one of the greatest days of my life. To have this kind of experience is quite unique and wonderful. I recommend it to everybody."

Branson has been working with the Dumphries community – an area situated about two hours outside of Nelspruit – in more ways, with health being another key matter. He says a lot of game reserve employees in the area were falling victim to diseases such as malaria, HIV/ Aids and tuberculosis, resulting in him setting up the Bhubezi clinic in 2007.

On the same day Akani crèche opened, the Bhubezi clinic helped restore hearing to 150 people who were previously hard of hearing, with the help of international hearing experts.

"Today we can find that some people who could not hear at all suddenly can hear again," says Branson.

He believes it's important for people to do their bit for the world they live in, uplifting communities where they can.

He says: "Anyone who has a sort of flag in any area of the world, who can afford it, should just make sure that the world around wherever they have their flag should be looked after."

Virgin United, says Branson, has also been working with finance minister Pravin Gordhan, finding out what else can be done on the "entrepreneurship front in Africa".

"If as many people as possible can get out there, start creating businesses, that's where the job creation is going to come from going forward."