On the 22nd of February 2014, the Nyanga branch held an Induction Day for new parents and learners, which doubled up as the first parents’ meeting of the year. The event, held at Zolani Centre was attended by more than 100 parents and learners.
The purpose of our Induction Day was to formally introduce IY to new Nyanganites and their parents, and to facilitate the meeting and exchanging of knowledge between old and new parents, learners and volunteers.
There were two components to the Induction day, namely the parents’ meeting and the learner session, which ran concurrently, after the initial welcome and introductions. Siphelele, the Branch Assistant, and our volunteers facilitated the parents’ meeting. This session covered a range of topics, including 2013 results, the IY model, what parents can expect from the branch, and what the branch expects from parents and learners.
Shuvai, the Branch Coordinator, facilitated the learner induction, in partnership with the Branch Committee and volunteers. This session covered topics such as learner conduct, attendance, expectations and the IY values. The branch committee spoke to their peers about their function and answered the different questions fellow learners had about being an ikamvanite. The learners later got into groups to investigate, discuss and debate the meaning of each IY value and present their findings to the larger group.
The day was a huge success, garnering positive feedback, from parents especially. Two parents indicated their interest in representing other parents on the branch committee, and both are looking forward to being actively involved at the branch.
Thank you to all the parents who attended, and to all our volunteers who showed up as true superheroes on the day. 2014 will be our best year yet!
IkamvaYouth celebrates 2013 matric results – 89% pass, 94% eligible for tertiary
Hailed as the class that has achieved the highest pass rate since the birth of the democratic government in 1994, 2012’s matriculants across South Africa achieved a pass rate of 78.2%.
With an 89% matric pass rate – 64% receiving a bachelor pass and a further 30% qualifying for diploma study – and 70 distinctions amongst its 154 matriculants, IkamvaYouth, an organisation that enables learners from poor communities to improve their marks, is proud that their class of 2013 has made a substantial contribution to the record.
The organisation’s director, Joy Olivier, is “simply thrilled” with the learners’ achievements. “IkamvaYouth is continuing to improve on its results while scaling”, she says. “With 60 more matrics than last year, we’ve managed to not only meet last year’s pass result, but more than double the number of bachelor passes achieved. This is very encouraging as we work towards achieving Vision 2030; which has every learner in South Africa reaching and passing matric, and then going on to access the post-school opportunities that set them on the path to earning a dignified living.”In 2013 seven branches had matriculants, with both Ivory Park (in Gauteng) and Umlazi (in KZN) producing their first matric cohort. IkamvaYouth’s Ivory Park branch marked this milestone with a jaw-dropping 100% pass mark, with 83% achieving a bachelors pass. Ivory Park branch ‘s top pupil, Happy Vangile, scored three distinctions in his final year of high school for Maths, Physical Science and Accounting. Vangile said he would not have been able to achieve the high marks he now has, had he not been introduced to the organisation.
“I come from a financially difficult background and there was not much support at home. Before Grade 11 I was not doing very well at school. I joined IkamvaYouth and that is when things started to go well. I received a lot of help from the IkamvaYouth tutors and they kept me motivated till the end.”
Vangile will be studying towards a BCom at the University of Cape Town.
Abongile Jojozi, from Chris Hani Secondary School, a learner at the Makhaza branch, said that aside from improving his results and achieving a whopping four distinctions, in Mathematics, Xhosa, Economics and Life Orientation, and narrowly missing out on distinctions in the rest of his subjects, the organisation taught him leadership and commitment.
“I knew I would get distinctions in Maths and Life Orientation because they are stuff that I practice everyday, I wanted to get good results but I was shocked at some of the results I got and I was even recognised as the top learner at my school.”
He plans to do a BSc at UCT, and is looking forward to volunteering as an IkamvaYouth tutor.
In congratulating the class of 2013, national co-ordinator Zamo Shongwe noted that “Ikamvanites have responded to the challenge to improve the pass rate in townships by showing that with extra work and focus, it can be done. We look forward to learners returning as tutors to give a hand up to other learners going through their paces at branches”
This has all been made possible by corporate, in-kind and individual donors who have invested in township youth and the spirit of IkamvaYouth: ABI, Capitec Bank, the TK Foundation, African Bank, Empower, the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund, DGMT, the Raimondo family trust, the Learning Trust, the Potter foundation, GDF Suez, ABSA; the many in-kind donors that avail space (municipal libraries, schools, community centres and universities) and learning resources (the Answer Series, Fundza) and countless other organisations, companies and individuals. It is thanks to these and many others, and the hundreds of committed volunteers, that IkamvaYouth is able to offer programmes in tutoring, career guidance and mentoring, computer literacy and lifeskills education. IkamvaYouth equips learners (the Ikamvanites) from disadvantaged communities with the knowledge, skills, networks and resources to access tertiary education and/or employment opportunities once they matriculate. IkamvaYouth aims to increase the collective skill level of the population, to grow the national knowledge base, and to replicate success in more communities.
The IkamvaYouth model draws from a large and growing pool of volunteers made up of students (from nearby universities) and local professionals. The organisation’s sustainability is driven by ex-learners who gain entrance to tertiary institutions and return to tutor. More than half of the volunteers at longer-established branches are ex-learners. Ikamvavanites are thus driving change as they develop from beneficiaries into benefactors.
BREAKDOWN OF IKAMVAYOUTH 2013 MATRIC RESULTS:
GAUTENG
Ivory Park (first matric cohort!): 100% pass, 83% bachelor, 17% diploma, 12 distinctions
Ebony Park: 94% pass, 62% bachelor, 34% diploma, 16 distinctions
KWAZULU-NATAL
Chesterville: 82% pass; 44% bachelor, 48% diploma, 23 distinctions
Umlazi (first matric cohort): 83% pass; 40% bachelor, 47% diploma, 3 distinctions
WESTERN CAPE
Makhaza: 83% pass; 64% bachelor, 28% diploma, 12 distinctions
Nyanga: 93% pass; 85% bachelor, 15% diploma, 3 distinctions
Masi: 89% pass; 88% bachelor, 1 distinction
MORE ABOUT IKAMVAYOUTH
IkamvaYouth is a non-profit organisation (established in 2003) that provides a volunteer driven, low cost and highly effective model of after-school tutoring and mentorship in resource-poor communities. It has branches in five provinces in South Africa: in Khayelitsha, Nyanga and Masiphumelele in the Western Cape, Ivory Park and Ebony Park in Gauteng, Chesterville and Umlazi in KwaZulu-Natal, Joza in the Eastern Cape, and Ikageng in the North West Province.
IkamvaYouth recently received the highly prestigious international STARS Impact Award for Education in Africa.
IkamvaYouth received this award while mindful of their Vision 2030, which sees all learners who start grade 1 in 2018, attaining a matric pass or the equivalent, and accessing the post school opportunities that set them on the path to earning a dignified living.
Issued by IkamvaYouth
For More Information Contact:
Media & Communication: Lorelle Bell, lorelle@ikamvayouth.org, 082 5201545
Director: Joy Olivier, joy@ikamvayouth.org
National Coordinator: Zamo Shongwe, zamo@ikamvayouth.org, 084 885 0004
2013 was a big year for IY, and it is with great pride (and relief!) that we can report, once again, our matrics’ excellent achievements. It is thanks to the superheroes who work or volunteer at IY, and those who support and enable this amazing team of people, that IY continues to deliver while growing significantly.
Overall, we achieved an 89% matric pass, and incredibly, 94% of these passes are diploma (30%) or bachelor passes (64%). With sixty more matrics than last year; two brand new branches established; a comprehensive survey of our alumni completed and all that went into our big ten year bash; the ikamvanites really pushed ourselves in our tenth year. And while having our work recognised by many accolades (including the STARS Impact award) is a great affirmation of all we put in, nothing makes it feel more worthwhile than sharing the excitement and joy with our learners as they celebrate the beginning of their shining bright futures.
But (as always at IY), there’s more to come. We still have two big hurdles to clear: the supplementary exams in march (all learners who failed and many of those who fell just short of the diploma or bachelor passes they were aiming for will be spending the coming weeks back with their books), and the all-important post-school placements. The next few weeks involve a lot of time on the phones and in queues at tertiary institutions, as we aim to ensure that all our learners enroll in the post-school opportunities that will set them on their career paths.
Our results by branch and province are as follows:
Gauteng
Ivory Park (first matric cohort!): 100% pass; 17% diploma & 83% bachelor
Ebony Park: 94% pass; 34% diploma & 62% bachelor
KZN
Chesterville: 82% pass; 48% diploma & 44% bachelor
Umlazi (first matric cohort): 83% pass; 47% diploma & 40% bachelor
Western Cape
Makhaza: 83% pass; 28% diploma & 64% bachelor
Nyanga: 93% pass; 15% diploma & 85% bachelor
Masi: 89% pass; 88% bachelor
Well done to everyone who made this happen!
On Friday, 29 November, the 2013 Prize giving was held at Desmond Tutu hall. Over 200 learners, tutors and parents were present to join the celebrations and be part of making a difference in these learners’ lives. The masters of ceremony were two vibrant grade 11s, Aviwe Apolosi and Sakhumzi Bhatala they kept the crowd entertained.
This is an event that allows the branch to celebrate the achievements of its learners and recognizing all the individuals that contributed to those achievements, namely the Tutors and Partners. They have committed the time and worked tirelessly with learners equipping them with knowledge and skills that they require to succeed in their studies and life. Certificates were awarded to learners, tutors and Partners. The categories were as follows: Academic Achiever, Most Improved, Certificate of Recognition, and Branchcomm Certificate. The learners also got a chance to vote for their peers that they felt were active and helpful to them during the course year. The categories for the certificates included Learner of the year, Outstanding Leadership and Most Committed Learner. Learners said words about their mentors that headed up workshops, praised them for the skills that they have acquired from their sessions and awarded certificates and thank you gifts for their efforts, partners including Numeric, Nazeema Isaacs Library amongst many were recognized. “I am now comfortable with using a computer and can even create games and write blogs easily thanks to Marion for her programming workshops” said Ndilisa May a grade 11 learner.
Learners also got a chance to show their talents, performing their poems and show casing their dance moves to a cheerful crowd.
The event was a huge success as everyone came out to support and contribute to the day’s events. Cheers to 2013………….
On 3rd October 2013 at the celebration of IkamvaYouth’s 10th Anniversary, we had the chance to share Funeka’s Story with Minister Trevor Manuel, our response to the National Planning Com story of Thandi (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIiRsFYsRcg). While Thandi’s story illustrates the challenges facing the country and the poor outcomes that the majority of South African youth can expect, Funeka’s Story tells a different story, one of hope, and offers a solution to our education crisis. Minister Manuel was moved to call Funeka’s story, a “story of change”, and went on to say, ” You are the change, the model that works. (Your programme) must be taken forward.”
Funeka (in pink) waiting to greet Trevor Manuel at IkamvaYouth’s 10 year celebration
Watch this updated version of Funeka’s Story (below) which explains the IkamvaYouth model and the positive impact that our organisation is having on the future for young people participating in our youth-to-youth programme. Share in our Vision 2030 which aims to bring this model to ALL young people people in South Africa. Contact us to get involved and make this vision a reality.
A BIG THANK YOU goes to:
- Funeka, for sharing your story and being such a professional voice-over artist!
- Dan Eppel who recorded and mixed the sound
- Freshly Ground for donating the tunes
- the staff and interns who helped behind the scenes,
and especially to:
Lynne Stuart for applying her design talents to explain what we do so concisely and beautifully!
[video:http://youtu.be/cJDM8LR6-9c]
Lloyd Lungu