I am from Switzerland, studying Social Work back home and for my studies I have to complete two internships. The first I’ve done in Switzerland and the second one I decided to go abroad. I wanted to live somewhere for a couple of months, experience another culture, experience how Social Work works in other countries. Through people I met during previous travels, I heard about IkamvaYouth. Its now been 3 months that I have been interning here and I am enjoying my stay!
The experience is different from what I expected, but not in a bad way at all. Just different. First of all, it’s great to work in this environment. There is a big gap between my culture and the culture here in the Townships. But for me it works well. I have to accept the world turns in a different way here.
In the beginning when I arrived I was busy doing some admin stuff. There was a lot to catch up on and I played the role of “assistant Administrator” since this was the need for the Branch. I made sure I support fully and assist where needed.
Initially my idea was to do some life skills with the kids. So to start this I prepared a workshop for exam preparation. Because the (final) exams were just in front of the door. So on a Saturday we had 3 hours time to work with the kids for this purpose. We (the tutors and me) tried to implement time tables so they can plan their days, especially their study time. As we also taught them skills and what is important for studying. In the end we did some exercises to find out which type of learner they are. Doing this workshop was a really interesting experience for me planning a “workshop” from the idea to the accomplishment. I got feedbacks from some learners and tutors and I think, it was a successful day.
When I came here I didn’t know that I will tutor as well. So I’m struggling a little bit haven’t practiced many of the subjects for a while. But, if there is something to help in more familiar subjects, I absolutely enjoy it. So it’s half time for me now and I’m glad about the decision to come here and enjoy IkamvaYouth and looking forward to the next three months!
For the first time ever Nyanga had more than 20 tutors joining the Nyanga Winter school which was attended by 55 learners which helped us to experience a ratio of 1:5 (one tutor and five leaners)
I would like to use this time and thank all tutors who took part in our Winter School and all the people who volunteered their time and facilitated workshops for our learners. Thank you too to our partners and sponsors for making this important event possible: UWC, Fedics, Dr Peter Mills and the Answer Series.
I would like us to all share our experiences on this Blog and write about what we have learnt during the two weeks
So let me start: its been 1 year and 10 months since I joined Ikamva Youth and it feels like a life time, this was my second Winter School that I coordinated and 2011 was just something else!! Thanx to you guys
I had an oppotunity to work with really motivated young people who share the same values as myself and who are eager to see a change in the township where many of us where born, this was very evident in how many of us gave their time to the Winter School without asking much questions but joined in with the heart to help, for me it was two weeks of being inspired and motivated whilste running around like a headless chicken! lol
Trust me tutors if it was not for you guys, Nyanga Winter School would not have been a success!!!!
And ofcoz WE WON!!!
During Winter School the Nyanga Branch was honoured by the presence of Nina who facilitated workshops for a week on Radio broadcasting and production.The learners took part in sessions where they were required to share life experiences and learn more about life from each other using the radio workshop and record their thoughts and interview each other.
Comment from a learner: “we learnt alot from the workshop and Nina and her team taught us how to use the microphones and how to record, I think I would like to be a radio presenter”
Comment from Nina: “The young participants were amazing, enthusiastic, and smart. For some, expressing themselves in English proved very challenging, but they were always checked in and present with the process. The revelations of radio were exciting for them too, handling equipment, recording their voices and playing it back in a very vulnerable public space. Considering time and language constraints, we covered two production modules that would best serve the workshops; interviewing and audio diaries”.
In the Business Day this week (7 June 2011), economist Peter Montalto finds inspiration in the aspirations of Ikamvanites. Montalto refers to his experience of visiting the Nyanga branch of IkamvaYouth a couple weeks ago and the impact this has had on his perspectives of South Africa and how important it is that we foster aspiration in our impoverished communities.
He writes,
In Nyanga, Ikamva Youth is working in the heart of the community in a local library. An army of enthusiastic volunteers, many of whom went through the project themselves, and a close connection with local universities provide the drive behind the project, and the energy comes from the leaders. Visiting the project, I saw young people hungry to learn, help each other and take advantage of the services Ikamva offers them. Most interesting, though, was that at its heart the work Ikamva is doing and the difference it makes is very simple — it is about providing a spark of hope, a path of opportunity and role models to look up to, all triggering aspiration.
The most basic tragedy of the townships is not even high unemployment (about 60% in Nyanga) or the conditions — it is a lack of aspiration. The encouraging thing, which Ikamva Youth has shown, is that though role models and simply providing information (and implicit incentives) about what options are available for youngsters and what they can achieve in life by putting the effort in at school, this aspiration can be ignited, grades can be improved and lives can be enriched. Once aspiration has been sparked, a basic entrepreneurial spirit in those who live in the townships causes a multiplier effect and youngsters then want to work hard, giving up time after school to be part of the programme, and so have a larger part in driving their own destiny. Much of Ikamva’s work relies on volunteers, who have been through the programme and then want to return to give something back.
I met Phillip and Thobela, two young people who had grown up in the township, been through the charity’s programme at school, got good enough grades to go to university, and now volunteer with the charity and are going on to great things. As an economist, I was delighted to find a common understanding with Phillip, who is passionate about econometrics. He is doing well at university and looking to go on to, for want of a better word, a “normal job” using his interest in statistics for the government or a company. Thobela, who now sits on Ikamva’s board, is passionate about chemistry. Getting into a good university allowed him to go on a study exchange to the US, and he now wants to become an academic teaching what he loves, a bug he has caught from his experience with the charity. Creating role models can become a virtuous cycle.
From my visit, I learnt many things. The issue of “untapped potential” is a much broader concept for SA than I first imagined. Government policy must be geared to providing the incentives and structure for personal aspiration of youngsters through mentoring and additional support in schools.
For the full article, visit http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=145012
On the 3rd to the 4th of April 2011 the Nyanga top attenders hiked Table Mountain and camped on top for the night
The Camp was organised by BEEP (Beyond Expectations Environment Project) which works with kids in disadvantaged areas and help in educating about their environment while simultaneously tackling the issues they face in their communities
The Camp was attendered by 16 learners from Grade 9 to 12, girls and boys who were so excitted as it was the first time for most of them
Many came back expressing the how much they have learnt and would love to make hiking their hobby
A Big thanx to John Raimondo one of our Gold donors for sponsoring this fun filled Adventure for our learners
The Nyanga Branch on the 26 March 2011 held its very own independent SPW which was attended by learners and tutors from the Nyanga Branch and visited by Joy and Zoe
This has been a very excitting weekend for the Nyanga Branch as it was two days of planning the year and reflecting on the succeses and acheivements we have had, the memebers took time to know each other better and share reasons why they are part of Ikamva Youth
On the 26th we discussed issues that the branch is facing and reasons for those issues, where we broke into groups and had to come up with solutions and ways to make the Nyanga Branch meet everyones needs as best as possible
As it was our very first SPW as a branch we had the time to really focus on branch specific issues and realise that all IY branches have common and individual issues facing each branch,the day was dedicated to addressing themes that came up in our group discussions
The following day we dedicated the day to planning and putting dates for all actions to be taken, we spent the last day of the weekend setting realistic goals and deadlines so that this year we meet our goals, seeing that we have more capacity than any other years
To find the spw report press here:
The weekend has been a very fruitful weekend and has left the Nyanganites ready to take this year by STORM!!!
Lloyd Lungu