IkamvaYouth Ivory Park Open Day
The 24th of January was the day the volunteers stuff members and parents of the IkamvaYouth Ivory Park branch have been waiting for. The Ivory Park branch has been collaborating open days with its sister branch Ebony Park, but this year it went solo. The programme for the day was well managed allowing the invited guests, parents, school principal and learners to participate and represent.
The activities of the event involved prize giving to top performers in the year 2014 with certificate and gift awards in different categories to include Platinum Attendance, Most academically improved learners, Best Tutors and 2014 matriculants for having successfully completed matric with IkamvaYouth. Application forms were issued to those who wanted to join IkamvaYouth.
The programme opened with a warm welcome by the branch coordinator (Mr Clemence Msindo), followed by our host and guest of honor Mr K Maduma, the principal for Kaalfontein Secondary School where the Ivory Park branch operates from. Mr Solani from the District Department of Education, Dr W. Kubeka from University of Johannesburg and Simpiwe from the Vine Branches blessed the event as motivational speakers to learners with words of encouragement with regards to academic improvements. Our IkamvaYouth branch committee parent Mma Mogano gave a touching speech to other parents about the good IkamvaYouth is doing in the community with reference to her child’s improvement in school work.
The Kaalfontein Secondary School choir, with their melodic voices couldn’t let the event go by without them being heard, they sang so well they left the crowd asking for more. Our class of 2014 who had risen above the odds and gave the Ivory Park branch 87.7% pass rate were awarded with certificates for their courage and bravery in their achievement. The top achiever Benny Matlou was awarded a wrist watch for his two distinctions in Mathematics and Physical Science. The branch awarded the top attender with a Blackberry phone for her commitment to IkamvaYouth throughout the year.
The day was full of joy and ABI made the day extra special by donating drinks and water to the learners, volunteers, parents and guests to quench their thirst. The day ended with a number of learners queuing to grab application forms to join IkamvaYouth.
On the 07 February 2015, we had an amazing turnout from parents and learners; the hall was packed to capacity where there was a distinct feeling of excitement and hope for the year. 50 learners and 35 parents attended the event.
We presented IkamvaYouth programs and values to our new learners and their parents. We assisted to a genuine sharing of experiences through the comments and questions of the parents. And thanks to both speeches of Phumza Kibi and Thulisa Myeki.
We also have our first meeting with grade 12’s parents to prepare for 2015; the meeting was successful and we got full participation from parents and learners.
We are happy to announce that on the 07 February 2015 we already registered 52 new learners and we have issued out quite a lot of application forms during the Open Day. We are now looking at a total of 106 learners who have registered with IkamvaYouth Masiphumelele this year.
We are still looking at recruiting 5 Grade 9’s, 20 Grade 10’s, and as for Grade 11’s we only taking learners for waiting list now. Grade 12’s we have 24 for the year 2015.
The Masiphumelele Branch will officially be starting its Home-work session on Monday 9 February 2015 at 15:30 until 17:30. We look forward to host this day.
Let me extend a warm appreciation to all those who have assisted us during the Open Day and let’s keep it up guys, work has begun!
Even it was a hot and sunny day during the weekend, 15 Grade 12 learners made it to the Cape Town International Convention Centre by train on Saturday 31 Januay.
They spent 21/2 hours in the different aisles of the exhibition to discover new industries and jobs. Hair dressers, mechatronics engineers, welders, air-conditioning technicians, chefs, plumbers were showcasing their work and welcomed the students to ask questions and experienced their profession.
Simultaneously the students were invited to meet recruitment officers from False Bay College, Northlink College, Damelin and other FET colleges.
They also watched videos dealing with the artisan industry from the Merseta bus here for the event. You can consult their website which is proposing career guidance through tests, articles and videos by clicking here.
Even though it was a hot and sunny day during the weekend, 15 Grade 12 learners made it to the Cape Town International Convention Centre by train on Saturday 31 Januay for the National Skills Show.
They spent 21/2 hours in the different aisles of the exhibition to discover new industries and jobs. Hair dressers, mechatronics engineers, welders, air-conditioning technicians, chefs, plumbers and other were showcasing their work and welcomed the students to ask questions and experienced their profession.
Simultaneously the students were invited to meet recruitment officers from False Bay College, Northlink College, Damelin and other FET colleges.
They also watched videos dealing with the artisan industry from the Merseta bus here for the event. You can consult their website which is proposing career guidance through tests, articles and videos by clicking here.
The main tutoring hall at the IkamvaYouth Chesterville branch was packed to the brim as we had our open day and prize giving ceremony. Amongst our guests were the parents, current Ikamvanites, aspiring Ikamvanites, our local librarian, and our dedicated tutors as well as staff from both the KZN branches of Umlazi and Chesterville. The guests were eager to know more about IkamvaYouth and to celebrate those Ikamvanites who performed well in the programme for the year 2014.
Our learners also participated in the programme, with two of our matric learners Lindokuhle Mbili and Lipuma Thabethe being our MC’s for the day. The speakers of the day were Thandazo Mkhize (Chesterville Branch Co-ordinator), and Zandile Dlamini (Chesterville Branch Assistant) who gave an overview of what IY is about as a whole.
Thankfully, IY has many talented learners some of which were able to provide us with entertainment for the day with poetry and rhythmic rap music. We also had speakers from different walks of life. One of our past learners, Andiswa Tshabalala, from the class of 2014 was one of our speakers, she gave a very heartfelt speech about her experience at IY as well as where she is currently in life and her studies. Our other special guest Mzwandile Majola, a librarian from the local library spoke very well about the importance of reading and also encouraged the learners to read and visit the library more often for information.
Speeches were not the only items on the program. Our special Prize Giving ceremony had to be the highlight of the day. Led by N’thabiseng Zwane, branch assistant at the Umlazi branch, certificates as well as prize gifts were awarded to learners that achieved 75% and above on attendance as green attendance, 90% and above as Gold attendance while others received certificates for successfully completing the operation fikelela programme in 2014. It would’ve been a shame to honor the learners and leave behind our tutors, so the most dedicated tutor of the year was also awarded with a certificate of appreciation, which went Nokukhanya Ngcobo who also delivered a lovely speech on behalf of the tutors.
In closing, S’bonelo Cele, branch coordinator at the Umlazi branch, gave us a closing remark and vote of thanks speech to everyone who availed themselves for the event and more especially to our special guests, who were given a small gift as a token of our appreciation.
One seldom finds the time to spend with nature, especially on a Monday morning. IkamvaYouth KZN Matric learners, staff and a few volunteers spent their Monday morning, 19th January 2015, embracing nature and its life lessons at the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve and Wilderness Leadership School in Yellowood Park, Durban.
Before the trail walk began everyone was instructed to switch off their cellphones or any other device that might connect them to the outside world. This was simply done to ensure that everyone becomes fully immersed with life in the wild and does not get to miss out on anything important.
Our trail walk throughout the nature reserve was led by tour guides who have years of everyday experience of the wildlife. Along the trail we spotted a variety of wild animals, but not wild enough to eat us, thankfully. The animals seen at the nature reserve ranged from the Red and Grey Dykes, Springboks, Zebras, and although we were told to look out for snakes, we did not come across any. Some animals could not be seen but heard, such as the Purple Crested Lourie and the Sombre Bulbul birds. A lot was also learnt about the different trees we saw including our very own national tree the Yellowood, and the importance of treating natural habitats including the animals in order to survive in the wild and preserve nature.
After a lengthy walk of more than two hours, everyone was treated to delicious lunch which was sponsored by ABI. Visiting the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve was a good exemplar of just how life’s lessons can also be learnt from outside the classroom and that nature also has a few stories to tell.
A lot can be said about the experience and lessons one gained from visiting the nature reserve, this is what some of the learners had to say about the trip:
“What I learnt is that respect is the most important thing in life,”-Slindile Ngubane
“It was my first time going Yellowood Parkand it was a great day. And I saw different types of animals like Zebra’s, snakes and chickens.” – Nobuhle Zulu
“…along the way we saw a Yellowood tree, our tour guide told us why the place was called Yellowood Park. He said because the Yellowood tree was the most available tree in that place.” – Anele Vezi
Lloyd Lungu