In the Business Day this week (7 June 2011), economist Peter Montalto finds inspiration in the aspirations of Ikamvanites. Montalto refers to his experience of visiting the Nyanga branch of IkamvaYouth a couple weeks ago and the impact this has had on his perspectives of South Africa and how important it is that we foster aspiration in our impoverished communities.
He writes,
In Nyanga, Ikamva Youth is working in the heart of the community in a local library. An army of enthusiastic volunteers, many of whom went through the project themselves, and a close connection with local universities provide the drive behind the project, and the energy comes from the leaders. Visiting the project, I saw young people hungry to learn, help each other and take advantage of the services Ikamva offers them. Most interesting, though, was that at its heart the work Ikamva is doing and the difference it makes is very simple — it is about providing a spark of hope, a path of opportunity and role models to look up to, all triggering aspiration.
The most basic tragedy of the townships is not even high unemployment (about 60% in Nyanga) or the conditions — it is a lack of aspiration. The encouraging thing, which Ikamva Youth has shown, is that though role models and simply providing information (and implicit incentives) about what options are available for youngsters and what they can achieve in life by putting the effort in at school, this aspiration can be ignited, grades can be improved and lives can be enriched. Once aspiration has been sparked, a basic entrepreneurial spirit in those who live in the townships causes a multiplier effect and youngsters then want to work hard, giving up time after school to be part of the programme, and so have a larger part in driving their own destiny. Much of Ikamva’s work relies on volunteers, who have been through the programme and then want to return to give something back.
I met Phillip and Thobela, two young people who had grown up in the township, been through the charity’s programme at school, got good enough grades to go to university, and now volunteer with the charity and are going on to great things. As an economist, I was delighted to find a common understanding with Phillip, who is passionate about econometrics. He is doing well at university and looking to go on to, for want of a better word, a “normal job” using his interest in statistics for the government or a company. Thobela, who now sits on Ikamva’s board, is passionate about chemistry. Getting into a good university allowed him to go on a study exchange to the US, and he now wants to become an academic teaching what he loves, a bug he has caught from his experience with the charity. Creating role models can become a virtuous cycle.
From my visit, I learnt many things. The issue of “untapped potential” is a much broader concept for SA than I first imagined. Government policy must be geared to providing the incentives and structure for personal aspiration of youngsters through mentoring and additional support in schools.
For the full article, visit http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=145012
As Ikamvanites in grade 11 and grade 12 begin their mid-year exams, the “Each one Teaches one” campaign continues at the Makhaza branch today. Grade 11 learners (pictured below) are working together to improve their knowledge of life sciences as the exams rapidly approach.
Despite the fact that Friday is not one of our tutoring days, our grade 11s arrived in numbers to tutor themselves in the lab. We are expecting grade 12s to join them as their examinations commence as well. If you can come and help you more than welcome.
Big Up to them.
All the best Guys…
I joined IkamvaYouth in 2004 while I was doing my grade 11. In 2005 I was doing my matric. In 2006 I started to volunteer in the organisation while I was doing my first year at the University of the Western Cape. Since then I have been an active member in the organisation. In 2011 I started to work for the organisation. I am the first former learner to actually work for the organisation. I’m real happy to work for the organisation. Giving back to my community is very important to me. Never thought one I would work for this organisation. This also brought a change in my life. I studied Bcom Information systems now I am working as an administrator. While I was studying, I was hoping to work for private companies and never thought I would be working for NGO, but I am happy and satisfied to work for IkamvaYouth. Then I realised that you can study for certain field and working in different field and be satisfied.
Thank You
Ikamvanites across the country have been deeply saddenned by the terrible news of Dave Eadie’s sudden and shocking passing.
Dave was instrumental in ensuring that every learner at every branch of IkamvaYouth has the Answer Series guides they need to achieve, improve their academic results, and access the post-school opportunities that’ll change their lives.
An excerpt from Khona’s post on the FaceBook community page where huge numbers of people are sharing their memories, photos and condolences was read out at the funeral:
“I never met Dave, but he has touched the lives of the learners that I work with as part of IkamvaYouth. Our learners come from poor backgrounds and attend under-achieving township schools. Through Dave’s generosity, our learners have had access to study guides that they otherwise cannot afford to buy. These young people’s lives are being transformed as they use these books to get themselves out of poverty and into tertiary. Thanks to Dave and the rest of the Answer Series team.
While he never personally met any of the learners that I work with in KZN, he has changed their lives and those of their families. He had helped create a domino effect that will not only change the lives of individuals, but whole communities and the country.”
Joe wrote, “Dave had such an amazing personality – we may have not known him that much but his selflessness giving resonated to IkamvaYouth of Ivory Park branch near Johannesburg. Always made the best out of any situation – we learned a lot from his selfless giving and life will be very different without him. We are sorry for his untimely and tragic death. We share the grief and loss of his family and friends. In Xhosa they say, “AKUHLANGA LUNGEHLANGA” “Ulale Ngoxolo”
And Nombu wrote, “On behalf of the Nyanga Branch (Ikamva Youth) thanx to Dave our learners at Nyanga have gained alot from your kind heart, May your soul rest in peace! We were truely blessed to have had our path cross with yours Dave!”
Sizwe Matoti read the contribution Dave made to the YEP Clan Newsletter, an excerpt from which I’ll post here as it beautifully explains the motivation for Dave’s support of community projects:
“I was mostly too young, but perhaps more importantly, too apathetic and politically unaware to have played any meaningful role in the dismantling of the apartheid regime. Instead, I continued my relatively selfish existence, somewhat aware of the injustices around me, but largely in denial of their existence, and certainly with no strong enough moral conviction to actually do anything about it.
The eventual dismantling of apartheid and relatively peaceful transition to a multi-racial democracy was hard won by the toil and suffering of thousands of South Africans (as well as citizens and leaders abroad), who cared enough about our country and its people to sacrifice small and large amounts of themselves and their lives to bring about the nation in which we currently live.
However, although it was truly a miracle and much has been achieved in terms of reconciliation, human rights, infrastructure, much of the legacy of apartheid remains, and this is the single biggest de-stabilizing factor in our country, an unacceptable injustice that we live with on a continued basis, and which we must eradicate if we are to live in true harmony.
As a child of South Africa, and a benefactor of its history, I desire to play a role in rebuilding our new nation, and accept my shared responsibility for its future, borne out of a strong belief in our country’s potential to overcome all odds, that we can step into the dream of a rainbow in peace, where all citizens are proud to be South African, and that by working together we can realise our full greatness.”
Dave certainly played this role, and we thank him!
Ikamvanites don’t let a little thing like a petrol bomb derail us from our big vision. In fact, like Zukile and Mphumzi say in the short film about the Freedom Day attack, more power to us!
On 1 May, we spent the day at TSiBA brainstorming the first big challenge for sustainably scaling the IkamvaYouth model across the country: Where’s the $$ going to come from so that there can be an IkamvaYouth branch at every library, community centre and university campus that wants one?
Freda Grey generously volunteered her time, wisdom and expertise to facilitate (and challenge!) the stretching of imaginations as far as our risk-averse temperaments would allow. Natcom members (Andrew, Khona, Zoe, Nombu, Nico and I), board members (Leigh and Colin) and branchcom members (Phillip and Naledi), as well as one of our advisors (Eugene Daniels, the District Director of Metropole South) brainstormed numerous income opportunities and identified the ones we’d like to develop further as potential business cases.
We’ve set up a study group on the Peer-to-Peer University website for keeping the conversation going, and invite everyone with insight, opinions or ideas to get involved and contribute to the development of our strategy for sustainable scale.
The day ended on a sombre note with Eugene describing the challenges that the Education crisis presents. He noted IkamvaYouth’s innovative approach, track record and potential for scale and emphasised the urgency for reaching significantly larger numbers of learners. Watch this space or get involved in this one!
Lloyd Lungu