In order to comply with the Health & Safety Regulations, on the 1st of June 2013, IkamvaYouth’s Ikageng Branch participated in a Fire Safety Awareness workshop. The workshop provided employees, learners as well as the volunteers with essential knowledge about fire safety, how to prevent fire from starting as well as what actions to take if fire does break out.
The workshop was conducted by the Shakaneng Skills Provider Emergency Service, represented by the Training Coordinator Mr. Mahlangu. The Ikamvanites gathered in their usual tutoring venue at Thembalidanisi School and learnt interesting and important realities about fire.
The workshop covered useful practices to engage in when working with fire, including how to handle live flame, first aid when someone has been subjected to burns and the reporting protocol when there is fire. Ikamvanites had an opportunity to practice extinguishing live fire using fire extinguishers.
Mr. Mahlangu further enlightened us on various career paths within the fire and rescue fields, ranging from administration, management, medical to paramedical and firefighting and pointed out that there are lots of skills shortages in this career field. Ikamvanites had many questions about the subject choices required in order to work in this field and also the benefits of being a fire-fighter.
The session was very interactive and the Ikamvanites were able to simulate scenarios, like rolling on the ground when you catch fire, and were shown charts of what to do. All the Ikamvanites were told where their closest fire station is and were instructed to call 10177 or 0184627219 in case of a fire or any other emergency.
We would like to thank the Shakaneng Emergency Service and everyone that assisted with this workshop. We look forward to the firefighter training.
Knowledge is power and Information is liberating!!!
On Saturday, 20th April 2013, the newly established IkamvaYouth Branch in Ikageng, North West, held its very first Open Day. A huge effort went into preparing for this day, and it was satisfying to see the effort being duly rewarded with a great turnout on the day. We were honoured to have IkamvaYouth National team, Gauteng team, ABI, Department of Education, Thembalidanisi School and its representatives, parents, volunteers, Ikageng community, aspiring Ikamvanites as well as Ikamvanites.
Ikamvanites formed a guard of honour at the gate, welcoming our honourable guests as they arrived. A warm welcome was rendered by a very energetic MC, Modjadji Selowe, Ivory Park Gauteng Branch Assistant. The Thembalidanisi learners opened the programme with a gumboots dance and a welcoming song that kept everyone entertained. The Ikageng Branch Coordinator, Zanele Mdletye rendered welcoming remarks to the guests, in turn, the Ikamvanites and the guests joined in, in wishing Zanele a happy birthday, a very special moment! Our guest speakers expressed positive observations about the IkamvaYouth model and offered their support.
Mr. Fanie, the Thembalidanisi School principal as well as Ms. Yessel, Area Manager from the Department of Education shared how they had doubts about the programme initially. However after witnessing the model in action for the past two months, they believe and support the programme. They expressed gratitude’s to IkamvaYouth and ABI for renovating the school as well as opening the first IY North West branch in the Ikageng area. They committed to support and wished us growth in the North West Province.
ABI Goldfields District Manager, Mr. Roston Bibb, spoke about the role played by ABI in the communities and expressed gratitude for a good working relationship they have with IY. He further addressed the crucial role played by IkamvaYouth in communities.
Joy Olivier, IY Director took us through how IkamvaYouth was established, as well as why Ikageng. National Coordinator, Zamo Shongwe explained the IY model and what is required to become an Ikamvanite. She outlined learner and parent responsibility, the attendance requirements as well as explained reasons for possible dismissals/ kickouts. Parents and learners asked questions to which Zamo gave clarity.
In closure, the Ikageng Ikamvanites sung their souls out and left the audience with goose bumps.
As the final part of the day, the Ikamvanites and ABI engaged in a game show battling through questions for prizes. The prizes were sponsored by ABI. Patrick Mashanda, the Gauteng District Coordinator rendered voted of thanks to our guests on behalf of IY and closed the programme.
Thereafter lunch was served, sponsored by ABI.
It was humbling to see such support, this spirit made this a really successful and positive day all round. Barely three months old, Ikageng Branch has laid a very firm foundation in the North West Province. Now, that’s innovation!!
Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI) made it possible for IkamvaYouth in North West to make tangible and enduring difference to the academic performance of the Ikageng learners. IkamvaYouth is generously accommodated at the Thembalidanisi Intermediate School, the school that bigheartedly offered 3 classrooms, 1hall, computer room as well as an office space. Late last year, the school was vandalized and stripped of electricity cables, ceiling, plumbing pipes as well as tabs. By the great virtue of renovating our working space, ABI renovated the Thembalidanisi Middle School. Doors and cracked windows were replaced, barglar gates were installed, a wall was broken down to extend the hall, ceilings were replaced, toilets were replaced and repaired, taps and plumbing pipes were replaced, electricity cables re-connected and a library was established. Three weeks of marathon renovations made all this possible.
Our dearest funders went beyond our request for renovations, they established a library. The active reading culture is now becoming a glorious reality for the Ikageng learners. The school’s educators and learners were involved in the renovation process so they could feel they had a hand in the transformation in their school.
ABI hosted a Corporate Social Investment (CSI) day on the 9th of April, at the Thembalidanisi School. This was done in appreciation of the work that they have done as well as to mobilize its staff to oversee the finishing touches on renovations. The crew came in large numbers to help with painting, cleaning and shelving up the library. We had the support from the Klerksdorp as well as the Johannesburg team; they were willing to give up their comfortable offices just to try to make IkamvaYouth feel at home in their working space as well as leave Thembalidanisi a better school than they found it. This is the spirit that drives ABI. A standing ovation goes to the CSI crew!!
We would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to Thembalidanisi Middle school as your generosity helped make our vision a reality. Classes were suspended as the whole school was involved in the final touches of renovations. ABI has indeed filled two needs with one deed.
We owe a huge thank you to our dedicated learners.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the Renovations! Now that’s Innovation!
Lloyd Lungu