As the year 2014 draws to an end, Ikamva Youth (Nyanga branch) hosted their prize giving event – where the 100 + learners were honored for their hard work throughout the year. This prize giving was a huge success with an amazing support from the parents and the community of Nyanga. This day saw all the learners come dressed proudly in their various school uniforms, and excited to be part of this event.
Prize giving marked the end of the 2014 year for the Ikamva Youth learners and finally all their hard work was being honored with various gifts and certificates. It wasn’t only the learners that were being honored but also the tutors, key external stake holders and some of the parents who assisted in the branch during the course of the year 2014 in order to make the IY Nyanga branch a successful and fully operational branch.
This prize giving would not have been a success without the great support and donations from State Street who assisted the branch in financial means for our prize giving. Waltons stationary shop for donating our lovely prizes which were received by some of our learners and guests. Another great thanks to our esteemed guest speaker Mr Richard Dyantyi and Mr Wandisile Mdepa from UWC and the lovely Kristen Thomson from Numeric. This prize giving was held at the Oscar Mphetha High school, IY would also like to thank the principal of the school for allowing us to use his school hall.
Not only Ikamva youth issued prizes and certificates but our partners Kristen from Numeric issued out certificates and chocolate, to all the learners who participated in the in fundamental math’s programme. Mr Mdepa from UWC also issues out certificates to all the learners who had participated in the grade 11 empowerment workshop. Ikamva youth issues gifts and certificates to the learners who attended the IY programme through the course of the year. Learners who also did outstandingly well in their academics were honoured on this day.
Thank you to all the spport recieved in the year 2014.
Saturday 29 November was a day of fun and celebration at the Masiphumelele branch. Learners and tutors had their end year prize giving ceremony at Masiphumelele Library. The prize giving is a year-end function that is done every year to appreciate learners and tutors for the great work their done throughout the year. The function was well attended by learners, tutors, family and friends, IkamvaYouth partners and IkamvaYouth staff. The prize giving is where the learners get to be appreciated and acknowledged for their commitment to their own education, as evidence by their presence in the program at the end of the year. Learners received certificates of attendance based on their commitment on the IkamvaYouth values where learners have to make 75% attendance or more to keep their place at IkamvaYouth, and some learners received certificate of excellence for various achievements such as most improved in academics. There were also certificate for the learner of the year based on his/her behaviour, academics, arriving on time and being prepared for tutoring sessions and this category was voted by learners per grade. Our tutors and volunteers also received certificates of recognition for their tireless efforts, helping the learners with their school work throughout the year. A total of 113 certificates and 56 prizes were issued on the day and the learners were excited to be the centre of all this attention.
The parents were happy to see their children awarded with certificates of excellence, appreciation or recognition of their great work throughout the year. The parent of the year(Ms Jonas) a mother of grade 12 learner who always attends our parents meetings and have valuable input at meetings, motivating other parents to commit to their children’s education and applaud IkamvaYouth staff for such good work they’ve done at Masiphumelele community. The mother of a grade 12 learner was very happy to receive an acknowledgement by IkamvaYouth staff for her support.
We would like to thank all our partners and supporters, notably Pick ’n Pay family store at Fish Hoek, Masiphumelele Library, Masiphumelele Community hall, World Teach, Masi Corp, and Desmond Tutu foundation.
IkamvaYouth – The future is in all our hands.
On the afternoon of Friday, 28 November 2014, celebrations were underway in Makhaza at the Desmond Tutu Hall. Where the annual prize giving event was held, in which we recognize and celebrate the achievements of learners, volunteers and stakeholders who have performed well and been a great support throughout the year.
The prize giving was well attended by learners, their families, partners and supporters and IY staff. They bore witness to the great work and sacrifice the learners have made and how these sacrifices were converted into achievement. The categories of the prizes that were given included; academic achievement, most improved learner, outstanding leadership and best attendance (learners above 75%). More than 50% of our Ikamvanites had an average attendance of over 90%. This is a great feat as we have tutoring 6 days a week and this dedication just shows how special this programme is to the learners. Our amazing tutors were also recognised and awarded with certificates.
Our partners who work closely with our learners also gave out certificates of participation on the various programmes they hold with these young motivated individuals. Numeric, hosts a mathematics programme, Khan Academy, for grade 9s which is run by Yanga Zukelwa a Maths tutor. Creative Code hosts workshops every Friday afternoon specializing in programming and is run by Marion Walton who is a lecturer from UCT. The facilitators from EWHOZA were also in attendance, they facilitate life skills workshops and have a created a documentary which was directed and produced by the Ikamvanites.
We would like to thank the following people who attended the prize giving and those who made this day possible; Desmond Tutu Hall, Tamara Stelma (Mentorship Programme), Nazeema Isaacs Library, Old Mutual, Khwezi Bonani (UCT), Marion Walton (Creative Codes), Kristen Thompson (Numeric), Olga Ganta (Capitec Bank) and Tasha Koch (EWHOZA) and IkamvaYouth Makhaza Tutors.
The 2013 IkamvaYouth Annual Report highlights the remarkable achievements that we have made in 2013 by enabling disadvantaged youth to pull themselves and each other out of poverty with education.You can view the full annual report here but here are some of the highlights from 2013:
- 92% of our learners passed their matric (including supplementary exams); 62% achieved a bachelor pass (compared to 30.6% nationally) and 90% of our learners accessed a post school opportunity (tertiary, learnership or employment);
- The first survey of IkamvaYouth’s alumni was conducted. The findings were more encouraging than we could have hoped: IkamvaYouth learners are almost half as likely to drop out of tertiary studies, four times more likely to graduate and are three times less likely to not be in education or employment than the average South African young person.
- IkamvaYouth WON the Stars Award which exists to reward outstanding local organisations improving the lives of children in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. IkamvaYouth WON in the category of Education in Africa and the Middle East.
Thank you for taking the future into your hands, and to holding ours. Let’s keep reaching for the stars together.
©Neo Ntsoma/Majority World
If you are having trouble with the link please click on the below link:
ikamvayouth_annual_report_2013.pdf
The Ivory Park branch team is very excited and motivated after securing a new tutoring venue and office at Kaalfontein Secondary School. Venue instability has threatened the branch’s existence for very long, following a short notice eviction from the Ivory Park Youth Centre in December 2013. This was due to political controversies raised by the Greater Midrand Youth Council (GMYC) management committee leading to imposition of threats that could compromise the safety and security of IkamvaYouth staff, volunteers and learners.
The branch was then temporarily housed at the Ivory Park Community Stadium where space issues were still not entirely solved as learners were studying crowded in a very small hall that was also shared with Churches. The Ivory Park branch staff was also temporarily accommodated at the Ebony Park branch in a small and unsafe office. The staff would travel to the tutoring venue for every tutoring sessions. The conditions at the stadium did not allow learners to makeup days or come study at any times as tutoring was restricted to only 3 days a week as per the agreed MOU. The venue also made it difficult for staff to invite or meet with stakeholders as well as to track, meet and help the grade 12 learners with applications. Learners could not benefit from resources like photocopying, internet and full support from staff due to these conditions.
Moving to Kaalfontein Secondary and securing enough space for tutoring and office has opened up unlimited opportunities that include opening up of a computer lab that will benefit Ikamvanites and the school from 2015. Communicating and meeting stakeholders would be more convenient, all learners will benefit from the programme equally, being able to access the required support to ensure improved pass marks and success at matric level, and recruiting and retaining volunteers would be manageable with a stable venue.
I would like to acknowledge the interventions made by our stakeholders, to mention Kaalfontein School Principal and the SGB, TziChi as well as the IkamvaYouth team for playing a significant role in making this venue possible despite all challenges faced.
Lloyd Lungu