ABSTRACT

The Froebelian work began by revisiting the lack of equipment and resources in the early Froebelian kindergartens, and developing sustainable, affordable materials suitable in the cultural context This chapter exemplifies the flexibility that is possible within the Froebelian approach to early childhood education and beyond into adult life. In South Africa the Froebelian team continues to work in a sustained way with one community. This is entirely different from working with constantly shifting staff and with street children whose attendance is not always regular in the Kolkata context. The cultural setting of Africa is different from that in India. Stella Louis, a Froebel trained and highly experienced early childhood local authority adviser in South London with an established reputation for the quality of her work, was appointed. It is significant that the staff of the Soweto school appreciated Stella's work with them, honouring this by giving her the Zulu name Ujabule at the end of an intense training period.