30 ikamvanites from Gauteng attended the HIP2B2 3M Innovation challenge final held on the 18 of October 2012. It was addressed by the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology Mr Dave Hannekom and other relevant stakeholders including SAAST,SAWS and SABC’s top current affairs journalists.
The Innovation challenge is about exposing learners to having a scientific approach to things and life in general (identifying a problem, identify scientific methods and resources to addressing the problem and finally getting learners to create and design models).
Unfortunately, none of our learners made it to the finals, but we take pride in our fellow school Maphutha Secondary School, who represented Johannesburg East District 9 as well as the entire Gauteng Province and had the opportunity to participate in the competition.
Let us continue encouraging our learners to enter such competitions so that they improve their experimental learning and academic exploring!!
Heritage means a lot of things to a lot of people. This is a day in which we are all encouraged to celebrate our cultural traditions in the wider context of the great diversity of cultures, beliefs and tradition that make up the Nation of South Africa.
Ikamvayouth celebrated this day by inviting students and tutors from all 3 Western Cape branches at Makhaza branch. We had a debate and discussed issues around our heritage i.e. our tradition and culture, most specifically the Xhosa culture due to the majority of people present. This day was also scheduled to train Ikamva Youth Debating Teams on the current debating styles and techniques. We were very lucky to have the founder and Managing Director of Thetha Sikuve, who is also an executive member of UWC’s Debating Team, Ziyanda Tshoki. Ziyanda conducted the 2nd session of the day. A local Hip-Hop group under the brand “Lil’ Scratch Records” graced us with performances during our break Intervals.
During the 3rd Session we had live debates and students prepared for the FESTIVAL OF DESIRE that will be held on the 6th of October 2012 at UCT, hosted by African Studies Gallery’s Lecturer of Humanities Studies, Marion Walton
During the debates we discussed two topics, namely:
- If it’s vital to talk to the older generation about our Sexuality.
- In Today’s world you can’t be sexy or confident about your sexually without the right brands, clothing and look.
Ziyanda said that they had an absolutely lovely day training pupils debating for heritage day. She thanked everyone who contributed to this awesome day. She also thanked Sandzsation Tshefu and Ndima Lazola for the opportunity to work with Ikamvayouth, the tutors from Makhaza, Masipumelela and Nyanga branches, Mihlali Marx Mtoto for their vehicle and everyone else that formed part of this great occasion.
Marion said that she was highly impressed by how the debaters could think on their feet in response to the unprepared topics.
The 2nd topic “In Today’s world you can’t be sexy or confident about your sexually without the right brands, clothing and look” was chosen to be presented for the debate on the 6th at UCT. The tutors and our debate mentors, Sandiswa Tshefu and Ayanda Gladile, were part of the panel that chose the top 8 students that will represent IkamvaYouth at the festival at UCT.
We would like to thank Marion for the sponsorship to cover related costs, REEL-LIVES for their camera crew, the local Hip-Hop group Lil’Scratch and the tutors that attended. Most importantly, we want to thank Ziyanda for conducting the workshop. The day was a huge success because of everyone’s assistance.
Who said young people couldn’t create, direct, produce, film and act in their own movie.
About 30 Ikamvanites in Gauteng had the opportunity on Saturday 22nd of September 2012, to go onto a professional movie set in Johanesburg at The Home Movie Factory and create their own master pieces.
The Home Movie Factory is an initiative created by Michael Gondry upon the idea that filmmaker creativity should be cultivated and shared as much as possible. Michael said,“I don’t intend nor have the pretension to teach how to make films. Quite the contrary. I intend to prove that people can enjoy their time without being part of the commercial system and serving it. Ultimately, I am hoping to create a network of creativity and communication that is guaranteed to be free.”
The Ikamvanites arrived to a ready-to-use film set and equipment which made an infinite number of storylines possible. The learners got to work independently and had creative control over all aspects of the movie and this included the genre and title of their film, the script, the acting and actual filming.
After three hours, the learners were able to see a screening of their film and were given DVD copies of the final product.
WOW is all I can say. It was amazing experience! We definately have some very creative young Ikamvanites here in Gauteng.
This past Saturday (15 September 2012), ERM (Environmental Resources Management) together with the Masi and Nyanga branches took to Muizenberg’s Sunrise beach for the Annual International Coastal Clean-up.
With the equipment sponsored by Plastics SA, the Ikamvanites and ERM staff picked up waste (i.e. plastic, paper, bottles – anything “unnatural”) on the beach. With just little time to do so, a lot of waste was picked up – Sunrise beach being one the mostly used beaches in the Southern Peninsula by humans. Great thing was that most of the waste was recyclable, so most of the things can be re-used again or something new can be created out of it.
Ikamvanites hard at work to keep their environment clean.
Learners who picked up the most waste got rewarded with Pick n Pay gift cards – above are those from Masi. From left: Sifiso Jim (Grade 9), Zukile Maweyi (Grade 11) and Robin Fuzile (Grade 11).
Team work…that’s how we do it at IY!
“Hmm is that plastic?”
Thanks to ERM and those who made the day possible! The learners had a great time and took away valuable lessons. We’re looking forward to more partnerships like this in the near future.
Here are more pictures from the Coastal Cleanup…
Everyone who took part in the coactal cleanup.
Some of the collected waste.
Nyanganites
Masinites
Saturday 15th September dawned a bright and sunny day, which was fitting for Nyanganites who were participating in the coastal cleanup day at Monwabisi beach near Khayelitsha.
IYWC was invited to take part in the coastal cleanup by Andreas Stoll of ERM and Nyanganites were up for the challenge. Armed with gloves and black bags, the learners walked along the beach, picking up litter and having a good time.
One Nyanganite, Lubabalo Dwabayo said, ‘I enjoyed doing the cleanup because we made the beach clean and got to swim in the ocean’.
Well done to Nyanganites for being environmentally conscious!
This past Friday finally saw months of preparation and planning for our annual Career Indaba come together in a hugely successful day. Over 1800 students, parents, and community members flooded the Zolani Centre hall in Nyanga to explore their post matric choices and job opportunities.
IkamvaYouth’s founding motto is one of future-oriented thinking and pro-activity. The Careers Indaba is a fundamental step in fostering this mind set in the youth of South Africa. It is challenging to dream of a better future and to aspire to goals without knowing the realities of these goals and the opportunities that are available.
The event was open to high school learners from around Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Masiphumelele and surrounds, who came together to think about their futures and really take their lives into their own hands. They were informed not only about their career options, but also attended workshops on financial literacy by Capitec, and CV writing, interview skills and online CV development through Career Planet.
Over 25 Universities, companies, professionals and NPOs from all over Cape Town attended the Indaba as exhibitors. They did not merely provide factual information about careers and studying opportunities, but they also conversed with these young people and delivered a message of hope and possibility. This message is crucial for youth who are the victims of poor education systems and who live in a community plagued by poverty and all its products: IkamvaYouth focuses on changing the mind-set of youth, to think beyond their immediate circumstances and to believe in themselves and the possibilities that their futures hold.
The day was an inspiring success, with many learners and exhibitors commented at how much they had gained from the experience. Axolile, grade 10 from Sizimisle Technical High School said the most important thing he learnt is, ‘to know what you want to be in life and be dedicated, this will for sure get you to be where you want to be. ‘ While Sizalobuhle from Sinako High School said that, ‘ the Career Indaba helped me learn more about my dream career of being a lawyer, where to study and how to get into the best courses and universities. I also found out about how to apply for bursaries, and how to manage my money through the workshops.’
To organize an event of this size we partnered with Equal Education in helping to organize exhibitors and set up the event, and SAEP and the Department of Social Development joined the crew. We are also hugely appreciative to Mxolisi and his team at the Zolani Centre for the use of the hall and surrounding spaces.
Lloyd Lungu