On Friday the 26th of July 2013, the KZN team of IkamvaYouth got all dolled up, and headed off to Pietermaritzburg’s Protea Imperial Hotel for the 3rd annual KZN Young Achievers Awards. The purpose of the Young Achiever Awards is to acknowledge, encourage, reward and most importantly promote the positive achievements of KZN youth aged between 16 and 35 years. The prestigious ceremony was attended by the Honourable Pietermaritzburg Mayor, Chris Ndlela, who warmly welcomed everyone to the City of Choice.
The awards recognise the achievements of youth, who are giving back to their communities in the following categories: Arts; Beauty & Fashion; Arts; Agriculture & Rural Initiatives; Science & Technology; Health; Sports; Best Media Initiative; and last but not least, Best Youth Development Organisation, which went to IkamvaYouth.
The award recipients
IkamvaYouth isn’t new to receiving awards, but this one is particularly special to the KZN team, as it is a first for the district. It was really encouraging to receive this award, as it was an acknowledgement of our work in KZN. The award came at a really special time, as the organisation celebrates its 10 year anniversary.
Also receiving awards on the evening, were a number of individuals who are not necessarily considered “young”, but have played a key role in youth development, and made an impact on young people’s lives in KZN and across South Africa. Recipients of these honourary awards were Dr Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Zanele Mbokazi of Ukhozi fm, Dr Mthembu of Indoni SA, Dr Ngcobo of Ukuphila Wellness, and Menzi Ngubane of Generations.
Dr Shabalala of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Menzi Ngubane (aka Sibusiso) of Generations receiving Honourary awards.
Being in a room with so many other young people who are making a difference in the community through their various fields was really encouraging. For IkamvaYouth, it just shows that Vision 2030 is indeed attainable!
Team KZN: The Sky is the limit!
Winter School 2013 Week 1
Week 1 of Winter School 2013, all the preparations and hard work in the previous months have come down to this event. The Monday morning was a little hectic, with the bus service running slightly behind schedule for the Umlazi learners. By the time it hit 9 am, the team was already working hard to make sure everything goes as planned.
The venue for this year was DUT (Durban University of Technology, our kind sponsors), and once again the two KZN branches collaborated and held a joint Winter School, which resulted in having 220 learners and 50 volunteers.
The KZN Team designed the beautiful T-shirts to go with the theme for the KZN Winter School which was “my future is in my hands”. The idea behind it was to remind and reinforce to the learners that they are in the driver’s seat of their own futures. To go hand in hand with the theme a beautiful sketch was drawn by N’thabiseng Zwane from the Umlazi branch. It depicts the world, with various careers, being held by a pair of hands and the image is visual representation of the statement “my future is in my hands”.
The winter school time table (Monday to Thursday) was structured in such a way that mornings would consist of academic tutoring, and the afternoons reserved for activities such as life skills workshops and talks, exercise sessions, and MIE activities and the first Friday was reserved for excursions for all the grades.
One of the first creative activities that were done by the learners was a session encouraging them to reflect on what our winter school theme (My Future is in My Hands) means to them. All the learners had to make “hands” out of paper that represent what the slogan means to them. Some of the learners really put their heart and soul into the creative session. Learners were offered the opportunity to share what they had created with their groups.
We were also graced by the presence of World Changers Academy to speak to the grade 10 and grade 11 learners. The talks were revolved around motivation and letting the learners know that anything is possible and they should never feel like they can’t succeed in life. This is very important as learners are exposed to a lot of negativity in the township on a daily basis.
While we had WCA to motivate the learners and make sure they stay forever hopeful and know they will succeed, we also had people from NICRO talk to the learners about the work they do. NICRO is an organisation that diverts offenders who have committed minor crimes (eg. Minor shop-lifting) from prison to community service and similar activities. The importance of understanding that anyone can commit an offence (sometimes not intentionally) and end up on the wrong side of the law is what this organisation stresses. Gugu Ximba, who works as a drug counselor at the Vuyani Nkosi Youth Centre, where the Chesterville branch is based, presented a drug awareness talk to the learners. She took the learners through a list of common drugs, their side effects and why the learners should stay away from them.
During week one, we also had a visit from the Love life mpintshis., who insisted that all staff and volunteers leave the room as they talk strictly to learners. The purpose of this is to help the learners feel free and comfortable enough to talk about the issues they cover. These range from sexuality to abuse.
DUT was able to come on board even more through their Department of Food and Nutrition. The department was able to send one of their staff members to give the learners a talk on the importance of a balanced diet, how to achieve it and what are some of the consequences of not eating well. They also sponsored each leaner with a tin of cook-in evaporated milk. The talks were spaced over four days. Two days in the first week and two days in the second week.
With most of the activities requiring the learners to pay attention and listen carefully, we needed some activities that they could actively (physically) participate in as well. In the first week all the grades had an opportunity to go to the grounds to exercise after lunch. They were accompanied by an independent fitness trainer who was there to make sure they were participating and doing everything properly. They looked forward to it, especially since they would get a chance to do something different not just sitting in the classrooms.
The one activity that got all the learners very excited was the Amazing Race. We decided to create our own small version of this fun race around the campus. All four grades got to participate in the race at different times. The grade 9s and 12s were the first group. The race included a health quiz, picture puzzle, shooting hoops and solving Maths puzzles.
The week ended with excursions for all the learners. The grade 9 and 12 ventured off to the UKZN Science and Technology Centre, while the Grade 10 and 11 went to the Durban Green Corridor Estuary.
The Grade 9 and 12 learners were taken on a tour of the Science centre and also witnessed some of the experiments that take place at the centre. The grade 9 learners also got a chance to see the microscopes up close. The matric group also got to do a learning styles workshop. The workshop allows participants to determine their learning styles. This allows a person to better understand how they make decisions and also how they interpret the world. It is a true eye-opener for anyone who has ever wondered why and how they do certain things different to other people.
At the Green Corridor Estuary the grade 10 and 11 group did a beach clean-up. They also got a chance to see the famed Mangroves of Durban and learn all about them.
All in all the first week was an exciting and great learning curve for the team.
Five years ago, I found IkamvaYouth by chance and had the opportunity to work with amazing people at the Western Cape’s Winter School. This year, I came back to Ikamva on purpose. I am PhD student from the US, researching democracy and citizenship education in South Africa. I knew I had to do so some preliminary research in SA, so I made sure to schedule my visit during the Winter School. This time, I came to Gauteng, but once again I was welcomed warmly and put straight to work, developing lessons, tutoring and recruiting learners for an afternoon stream, the Peacebuilders’ Club.
Before I arrived, I prepared several English fundamentals lessons and was nervous that they would be too easy, too hard or just too American. With the help of the Ikamva staff and feedback from tutors, I was able to adjust and witness some moments of real learning. No matter where you are, introducing a little controversy and debate can help to engage learners. Between family relations, the death penalty and President Obama’s meeting with President Zuma, there was plenty to talk about. Tutoring at this year’s Gauteng Winter School was a rewarding and eye opening experience. From Romeo & Juliet and human anatomy to the French Revolution and layers of the atmosphere, I was constantly trying to keep up with the brilliant learners of Ebony and Ivory Park. More than once I had to double check my facts and ask more in-depth questions to challenge the motivated learners. I had to avoid the maths’ lessons altogether because they were over my head!
I was also able to help a fantastic group of learners form a Peacebuilders’ Club. I have worked with the US Institute of Peace for several years and they have developed a great serious of activities and lessons on peacebuilding and conflict resolution for secondary school students. All I had to do was bring these activities along and the learners quickly took over and became real peacebuilders and leaders. They did skits, created art and made goals for the future of the club. I want to say a huge thank you to the Peacebuilders’ Club for being so open-minded and motivated! On my last day with Ikamva, the whole group went to Freedom Park in Pretoria. This was an incredible experience for me, both as a visitor, and as a student of history and citizenship. It was moving to see the memorial to those who gave their lives in the struggle for freedom, and it was equally moving to see the tutors and learners participate in a dialog about the struggle and what it means to them.
This demonstration of active citizenship shows how IkamvaYouth not only helps learners to achieve in school, but also to participate in their communities and nation. I have been back in the US a week now, and I can only say a big thank you to the Gauteng staff, tutors and learners for an amazing time at the 2013 Winter School!
Learners and tutors from both branches joined hands at Ivory Park Lord Khanyile youth centre in favour of the health awareness day organized by the IY Gauteng staff. It was a fun and educational moment as learners eagerly awaited testing in long lines. Tutors, staff and some mentors lead the way by testing first, while also helping to encourage the learners to know their status and take charge of their own lives. The day involved, alongside the regular tutoring sessions, HIV/AIDS talks, counselling and actual testing. With the kind, brave help from SADTU’s health branch workers, assisted by the City of Johannesburg, a dedicated mobile testing team made their way to Ivory Park to come and facilitate this beneficial service to our community. All learners, tutors and staff who volunteered to be tested received the best advice, comfort and help from the health workers and left knowing that should they ever need more information, advice or counselling the were places and people who are more than willing to help. A great day was had by all filled with learning, growing and empowerment.
Ikageng Branch undertook an unforgettable adventure in one of our spectacular national parks, Pilanesberg National Park on the 28th June 2013. Ikamvanites gathered at 07h30 for 08h00 departure, everyone was beyond excited and slightly nervous to embark on this new adventure. It was an exceptionally warm winter day, despite road constructions and traffic, the excitement was booming in the busses. Enormous adventures awaited Ikamvanites as the journey led to Pilanesberg National Park.
From the moment we entered the Pilanesberg National Park’s gate, we surrendered ourselves to nature. We shared the space, at the same level, with all the animals and their powerful instincts. It was an exciting environment full of noises, smells, shadows and movements that warn of the presence of other inhabitants of the Park.
The unique habitat of the Pilanesberg National Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, birdlife and plants with the Big five on top of our must see list. According to the official park guide, there are 50 species of large mammals over and above the Big Five: Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhino. He also indicated that there are 354 different bird species found here. There are also 65 reptile species, 18 different kinds of amphibians and thousands of other small animals.
The most beautiful scenery within the entire park is viewed in the Mankwe Dam region. The dam is the largest body of water in the game reserve. This makes it the perfect place to spot a wide variety of animals; water-buck, wildebeest, zebra and impala are among the animals that make a stopover on the grassland bordering the dam.
Nature looked stunningly beautiful; Mountains of all sorts and sizes stood high forming beautiful horizons where they touched the sky. Valleys and landscapes punctuated the beauty leaving learners wanting to learn and see more.
For most learners national geographic was but a fairy tale, only turned real as the game reserve gates opened up to viewing wild animals including “the big five” and learning about wildlife and environment. It was a lifetime adventure and experience adding much more pride and value to the love of education.
Indeed it was fun, adventures and learning at its best. ‘’A Day worth reckoning’’
Lloyd Lungu