This year’s winter school was a success! We had 55 Nyanga learners and 23 Ikanyezi learners join us for two weeks at the University of the Western Cape.
Inkanyezi Learners
During the morning sessions, the programme offered learners the chance to get extra tutoring on subjects they were having a difficult time with. We were fortunate to have anywhere from 7 to 15 tutors a day to help all the learners.
After lunch the learners had a great opportunity to participate in a wide variety of workshops that were focused on educating and the learners on different things outside of their school subjects. We had everything from Acting to Team Skills Workshops. Workshops included: Art, Drumming, Acting, Team Skills, South African History, Point of View Improv and Drug Awareness
Learners show us their moves during the drumming workshop
In the Point of View workshop learners had the great opportunity to learn more about sexual health and stigma’s associated with HIV by using innovative activities that engaged the learners and made them more comfortable to share their thoughts.
Molly Blank came in to show the learners her new documentary film all about the xenophobic attacks that happened in South Africa in 2008. The learners watched the film and were able to have a question and answer session with the director herself afterwards. See some of their responses here.
Some learners who showed interest participated in a photography workshop which allowed the learners to take home cameras to take shots of the world cup mania in their area.
Sive Bushla, 11th grade ‘Big Vuvuzela’
New Start was also kind enough to come in to offer testing and counsel any learner or volunteer in the programme who wanted to get tested.
One of the opportunities the learners really enjoyed was the access to the computer labs that were made available to them for the whole of the programme. The learners were able to learn the key elements of Microsoft Word and Excel, how to send attachments in emails and basic computer literacy issues. They were really happy to be able to work on their typing skills as well.
We had a number of sponsors that made planning the programme much easier. PicknPay gave us enough to buy everything we needed for tea and snack breaks while Red Hot Catering & Events provided the lunches for all learners and volunteers at a convenient cost. Fedics sponsored one day’s lunches for all involved in the programme. And of course, UWC offered the space to make all of this possible.
Learners, for the most part, only had good things to say about the programme. There were some ideas that would make next year’s programme better. Mostly, learners wanted to see more tutoring subjects available. We would have loved to see this too, but unfortunately we didn’t have enough tutors comfortable teaching all the subjects. Hopefully next year, that’ll be different!
On the last day of the Nyanga Winter Programme, the learners had a chance to showcase their many talents. And they did not hold out! The volunteers and tutors were able to watch the 78 learners perform in any which way they wanted! Some read powerful and moving poems that they had written, others danced, a few learners showed off their vocals in songs, a few showed off their creative minds in raps and there was also a play!
playtime
All of the acts were creative, innovative and well thought out. Very impressive!
Amidst all the craziness of World Cup matches and Winter School, gold Ikamvanites from Nyanga took a welcomed break from their studies to take a trip to Cape Town City Bowl District for an afternoon of art and theatre. They started off the afternoon by visiting the Goodman Gallery in Woodstock. Their exhibit featured South African artist Kendell Geers and his collective work entitled Thrid World Disorder. The Ikamvanites were fortunate enough to have a personal guide for the exhibition focusing on tranformational images and language.
After a quick bite to eat for lunch, the Ikamvanites ventured forth to the Fugard Theatre to watch the well-received musical of Aesop’s Fables. With lots of music, singing, danicing, and joking eveyone had a wonderful time in town.
Special thanks to James Krowlikowski for arranging the afternoon’s activities, the Goodman Gallery and its staff, as well as the Fugard Theatre for their warm reception.
Today Molly Blank screened her powerful film Where Do I Stand? At the Nyanga branch’s winter school at UWC.
“When xenophobic attacks broke out across South Africa in May 2008, many found themselves caught off guard, shocked by violence that felt like a violation of the principles of their newly democratic nation. In the midst of this violence, many young people, clad in the bright greens and maroons of their school uniforms, looted neighborhood shops while some of their classmates, refugees themselves, fled to safer ground. Some youth tried to find a way to help, but still more stood by, watching from their windows or on television. Where Do I Stand? captures the optimistic voices of youth trying to make sense of what they experienced and the choices they made during the violence…” (wheredoistandfilm.com).
Ikamvanites were very moved and thought-provoked after the screening, and shared their ideas and opinions with Molly. Branch coordinator Nombuyiselo Dziba urged the learners to stand up in their communities, as although they are young, they are priveleged with the education they’re receiving, and can lead their communities to think differently.
Zandile Zoya, a grade 11 learner, wrote an on-the-spot poem during the few minutes learners were given to reflect in silence once the film had ended. Watch her read her poem, “What’s the Point?”:
[youtube]kietiAX_zko[/youtube]
Three grade 11 ikamvanites shared their views on xenophobia, and suggest that the film is screened on SABC1 to prevent further outbreaks which many communities are threatening for post-world cup:
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOXN89u1Hj8]
“Where do I stand?” will be screened and discussed at all five winter schools.
Lloyd Lungu