On Saturday, 20th April 2013, the newly established IkamvaYouth Branch in Ikageng, North West, held its very first Open Day. A huge effort went into preparing for this day, and it was satisfying to see the effort being duly rewarded with a great turnout on the day. We were honoured to have IkamvaYouth National team, Gauteng team, ABI, Department of Education, Thembalidanisi School and its representatives, parents, volunteers, Ikageng community, aspiring Ikamvanites as well as Ikamvanites.
Ikamvanites formed a guard of honour at the gate, welcoming our honourable guests as they arrived. A warm welcome was rendered by a very energetic MC, Modjadji Selowe, Ivory Park Gauteng Branch Assistant. The Thembalidanisi learners opened the programme with a gumboots dance and a welcoming song that kept everyone entertained. The Ikageng Branch Coordinator, Zanele Mdletye rendered welcoming remarks to the guests, in turn, the Ikamvanites and the guests joined in, in wishing Zanele a happy birthday, a very special moment! Our guest speakers expressed positive observations about the IkamvaYouth model and offered their support.
Mr. Fanie, the Thembalidanisi School principal as well as Ms. Yessel, Area Manager from the Department of Education shared how they had doubts about the programme initially. However after witnessing the model in action for the past two months, they believe and support the programme. They expressed gratitude’s to IkamvaYouth and ABI for renovating the school as well as opening the first IY North West branch in the Ikageng area. They committed to support and wished us growth in the North West Province.
ABI Goldfields District Manager, Mr. Roston Bibb, spoke about the role played by ABI in the communities and expressed gratitude for a good working relationship they have with IY. He further addressed the crucial role played by IkamvaYouth in communities.
Joy Olivier, IY Director took us through how IkamvaYouth was established, as well as why Ikageng. National Coordinator, Zamo Shongwe explained the IY model and what is required to become an Ikamvanite. She outlined learner and parent responsibility, the attendance requirements as well as explained reasons for possible dismissals/ kickouts. Parents and learners asked questions to which Zamo gave clarity.
In closure, the Ikageng Ikamvanites sung their souls out and left the audience with goose bumps.
As the final part of the day, the Ikamvanites and ABI engaged in a game show battling through questions for prizes. The prizes were sponsored by ABI. Patrick Mashanda, the Gauteng District Coordinator rendered voted of thanks to our guests on behalf of IY and closed the programme.
Thereafter lunch was served, sponsored by ABI.
It was humbling to see such support, this spirit made this a really successful and positive day all round. Barely three months old, Ikageng Branch has laid a very firm foundation in the North West Province. Now, that’s innovation!!
Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI) made it possible for IkamvaYouth in North West to make tangible and enduring difference to the academic performance of the Ikageng learners. IkamvaYouth is generously accommodated at the Thembalidanisi Intermediate School, the school that bigheartedly offered 3 classrooms, 1hall, computer room as well as an office space. Late last year, the school was vandalized and stripped of electricity cables, ceiling, plumbing pipes as well as tabs. By the great virtue of renovating our working space, ABI renovated the Thembalidanisi Middle School. Doors and cracked windows were replaced, barglar gates were installed, a wall was broken down to extend the hall, ceilings were replaced, toilets were replaced and repaired, taps and plumbing pipes were replaced, electricity cables re-connected and a library was established. Three weeks of marathon renovations made all this possible.
Our dearest funders went beyond our request for renovations, they established a library. The active reading culture is now becoming a glorious reality for the Ikageng learners. The school’s educators and learners were involved in the renovation process so they could feel they had a hand in the transformation in their school.
ABI hosted a Corporate Social Investment (CSI) day on the 9th of April, at the Thembalidanisi School. This was done in appreciation of the work that they have done as well as to mobilize its staff to oversee the finishing touches on renovations. The crew came in large numbers to help with painting, cleaning and shelving up the library. We had the support from the Klerksdorp as well as the Johannesburg team; they were willing to give up their comfortable offices just to try to make IkamvaYouth feel at home in their working space as well as leave Thembalidanisi a better school than they found it. This is the spirit that drives ABI. A standing ovation goes to the CSI crew!!
We would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to Thembalidanisi Middle school as your generosity helped make our vision a reality. Classes were suspended as the whole school was involved in the final touches of renovations. ABI has indeed filled two needs with one deed.
We owe a huge thank you to our dedicated learners.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the Renovations! Now that’s Innovation!
On the 13th of April, Nyanga Matrics got an opportunity to attend the annual UCT Open Day.
This was an important excursion for the Grade 12s as they got to visit a highly regarded institution in their province and learn more about the different programs they can study, and the funding opportunities available to them for tertiary studies.
The learners had a good time, not only attending information sessions but observing experiments and other demonstrations, and also having fun around campus, as those who will soon be walking university campus grounds in less than a year.
Nkosinathi Kaziwa, a grade 12 had the following to say about the day:
I learnt more about the career that I want to pursue, and also learnt about new careers such as Audiology and Environmental and Geographical Science.’
We are excited to have our learners exposed to other career paths and options and know that this Open Day is the first of many eye-opening and informative Career Guidance sessions our learners will be exposed to throughout the year.
Saturday 20 April marked Nyanga’s first official parents’ meeting for 2013. The meeting started a little later than anticipated, as we waited for the parents to arrive, but soon, many of them did, and the meeting started in earnest.
Shuvai, the branch co-ordinator welcomed the parents and introduced the staff and tutors who were present, then handed over to Siphelele, the branch assistant, who then ran the meeting. Siphelele introduced the parents to IY and explained the tutoring program, since the majority of Nyanga’s learners this year are first time ikamvanites whose parents had not yet had a chance to learn about IY from staff members.
Key issues raised in the meeting include learners missing tutoring on account of bad weather, parents’ concerns about gangsterism and violence as impediments to learners attending and a plea to parents to collaborate with branch staff in monitoring attendance, communication and report collection.
Xola Booi, an ex-learner turned tutor, also got a chance to tell the parents about her experience at IkamvaYouth since 2010 when she joined the branch as a grade 10 learner, and received applause from the parents for sharing so clearly and expanding on issues parents were unclear on.
The morning ended on a high note, with staff meeting individual parents to discuss learners and other concerns, over light eats.
A successful parents’ meeting indeed!
IkamvaYouth is looking for an intern office assistant, to be based in our Cape Town office. The Intern will work closely with the National Administrator and Director, and will assist with office and organisational administration, logistics, event management and PR & Marketing.
This internship post would be best-suited to someone with excellent administration and writing skills who is interested in gaining high-level experience and insight into the inner workings of a fast-growing, high-impact national non-profit.
This internship opportunity is for 6 months – 1 year. The average week will vary, the ideal candidate will thrive in a changing environment and enjoy working independently with little supervision.
Duties include assisting with organisational administration and coordination. These duties are varied and likely to include (but not limited to):
- Overseeing and developing content for Ikamvayouth.org; Ikamvanitezone; social media (twitter, facebook,youtube, flickr & linkedin), dropbox
- Data entry
- Preparation for key provincial events throughout the year
- Event Coordination
- Researching/Compiling and writing articles for website/blog
Skills and qualities needed:
- Ability to take initiative, work with little supervision, be creative and deliver under pressure
- Organised and efficient; impeccable time management skills, data collection and reporting must be accurate
- Excellent writing and effective communication skills, both written and oral.
- A positive, friendly attitude, a passion for working with young people and a pro-active energy
- Must be adept at using computers (Excel, word, social media and internet, power-point) and able to work virtually (many discussions, meetings and document development occur collaboratively online);
Remuneration: R1200.
To apply please send a letter of motivation and CV to careers@ikamvayouth.org with the title ‘Internship’ in the subject line. Correspondence limited to shortlisted candidates only. Closing date 22 April 2013.
Lloyd Lungu