Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the nature and purpose of migrant social in Marconi Beam Informal Settlement, and Joe Slovo Park. The study found that migrant social networks served both economic and cultural functions. Through their social networks migrants seek to maximise their remittances to their areas as well as to convey information about the availability of jobs and housing conditions in the city. Newly arrived migrants depend on their kin and village mates for food, shelter, and sense of belonging in an environment that can otherwise be hostile. Similarly in times of crisis such as redundancy, property losses migrants can call on the support within their immediate area of residence or from other members based in their rural areas of origin. Furthermore, migrants visit their rural areas of origin to partake in marriages, initiation ceremonies, and funeral service. And many of the migrants who die in the city are transported to the rural areas for burial. Migrant social networks demonstrate the complex interconnectedness of the urban and rural spheres of life in both the economic and cultural aspects of life. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het die aard en doel van sosiale netwerke onder migrante werkers in die Marconi Beam informele nedersetting en Joe Slovo Park ondersoek. Daar is gevind dat hierdie netwerke ekonomiese en kulturele funksies vervul. Op ekonomiese vlak fasiliteer die netwerke die twee-rigting vloei van goedere en dienste tussen stedelike huishoudings en die landelike tuiste. D.m.v. netwerke onder migrante werkers word inligting oor die beskikbaarheid van werk, behuising en dies meer versprei. Gebasseer op die ideologiese aanname dat die landelike tuiste meer belangrik is as die stedelike huishouding, word materiële goedere en geld, wat in die stad verdien word, na die landelike tuiste oorgeplaas. Daarmee saam word stedelike uitgawes tot In minimum beperk. In die geval van gebeurlikhede kenmerkend van die stedelike situasie, soos verlies van werk of eiendom, wend migrante werkers hulle na die landelike tuiste vir hulp en ondersteuning. Op In kulturele vlak besoek migrante die landelike areas om deel te neem aan begrafnisse, troues en inisiasie seremonies. Baie van diegene wat tot sterwe kom in die stad, word na die landelike areas oorgeplaas vir hul begrafnis. Hierdie besoeke dien as bewys van die migrant se lojaliteit teenoor die landelike tuiste en gemeenskap. In die geheel gesien bevestig die sosiale netwerke onder migrante werkers die inter-afhanklikheid van die stedelike en landelike lewenssfere.

Poverty is a global concern and the implementation of a quality early childhood development (ECD) programme is one of the most powerful ways of breaking the poverty cycle. Although research has been done regarding ECD centres in impoverished, marginalised and predominantly black communities (informal settlements), there is little, if any, similar research regarding predominantly white settlements. The purpose of this narrative study is to explore and understand the experiences of ECD practitioners regarding their work in impoverished and marginalised predominantly white communities. I, therefore, conducted this study from a social constructivist paradigm. The participants constructed their realities based on their lived experiences and interaction with others. The experiences of the participants were also influenced by their entire ecological system – their everyday experiences in their work and lives, as well as more distal influences for example South-Africa’s socio-political dispensation and cultural influences. Consequently the study was framed within the Ecological Systems Theory of Bronfenbrenner. I collected data through narrative interviews with two participants (ECD practitioners), and through field notes from observations, documents, photographs and artefacts. From the coded data, four main themes emerged – social and personal experiences, experiences concerning place, experiences with camp leadership and experiences concerning support infrastructure. These themes will be useful to determine the kind of support that practitioners need to ensure the quality of ECD programmes to support the optimal development of the children. / Armoede is ʼn globale probleem en kwaliteit kleinkinderontwikkelingsprogramme (KKO-programme) is een van die kragtigste maniere om die armoede-siklus te verbreek. Alhoewel daar navorsing omtrent KKO-sentra in verarmde en gemarginaliseerde oorwegend swart gemeenskappe (informele nedersettings) gedoen is bestaan daar min, indien enige, soortgelyke navorsing in oorwegend blanke nedersettings. Die doel van hierdie narratiewe studie is om die ervarings van KKOpraktisyns in hulle werk in verarmde en gemarginaliseerde oorwegend blanke nedersettings te ondersoek en te verstaan. Daarom het ek hierdie studie vanuit ‘n sosiaal-konstruktivistiese paradigma uitgevoer. Die deelnemers het hulle realiteite geskep gebaseer op hulle geleefde ervarings en interaksies met ander. Die ervarings van die deelnemers is ook beïnvloed deur hulle hele ekostelsel – hulle daaglikse ervarings in hulle werk en lewens, asook verwyderde stelsels van invloed soos Suid-Afrika se sosio-politieke bedeling en kulturele invloede. Gevolglik is hierdie studie geformuleer binne die Ekologiese Sisteemteorie van Bronfenbrenner as raamwerk. Ek het data versamel deur narratiewe onderhoude te voer met twee deelnemers (KKO-praktisyns), en deur veldnotas van waarnemings, dokumente, foto’s en artefakte. Uit die gekodeerde data het vier hooftemas navore gekom – sosiale en persoonlike ervarings, ervarings met betrekking tot plek, ervarings met kampleierskap en ervarings rakende ondersteuningsinfrastruktuur. Hierdie temas sal bruikbaar wees om die soort ondersteuning te bepaal wat praktisyns benodig om ʼn kwaliteit KKOprogram te verseker om sodoende die optimale ontwikkeling van die kinders te ondersteun. / Early Childhood Education / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)