April 2024
We spent some time with Mercila Scholtz, the Creche and Aftercare Manager at Dennegeur Farms in Grabouw to talk about her work on the farms and in the community as well as the impact of Waitrose Foundation projects.
Mercila was born on Clever farm in the area and spent her first years of life on that farm before moving to Dennegeur where her parents, Daniel and Maria Scholtz, were employed by Dennegeur. Most of her formative years were therefore spent at Dennegeur. Mercila attended Dennegeur and Pineview Primary and then completed high school at Groenberg in Grabouw.
From age 22 she started working with the kids in the creche (in 1994). The 1st creche on the farm was still situated where the training kitchen is located now. They were then moved to Linquenda (also on Dennegeur’s property), and eventually moved into the newly developed space where the SAS Beukes Youth Centre is now. It is a beautiful and well-equipped facility, in part established with funding and support from the Waitrose Foundation.
When we met with Mercila, she was turning 52 and have therefore spent a total of 30 years working in the creche and aftercare centre, looking after and caring for the children of Dennegeur workers on the farm. Not only did she receive care and instruction growing up on the farm herself, she regards it as an honour and a joy to look after the little ones now, watching them develop into young people finishing their schooling and leaving the farm to obtain employment.
The legacy and impact of Mercila on the young people around her is clear. She is mentor, leader, manager, caregiver, and mother-figure to many. When asked whether she has support when she experiences challenges, she answered immediately. She has a phenomenal support team in Carina van Wyk, the CEO of the Dennegeur Foundation, as well as other members of the team of carers fulfilling various functions on the farm.
With regards to Mercila’s experience and contact with the Waitrose Foundation, she says that she has greatly benefitted from training programmes she was given the opportunity to attend. She enjoys caring for the kids and her community and would not want to be doing anything else. Thank you for the inspiration, Mercila.
