Thanks to the generosity of donors and bidders the IkamvaYouth Foodie Auction raised R48,150 for IkamvaYouth’s holiday programmes.
Those who were at The Book Lounge on Thursday 24th March, and those who have seen the documentary about IkamvaYouth, or seen their work in action will realise the effect these programmes have on township youth. To raise R48,150 toward the holiday programmes is a great contribution to these programmes.
At 6pm the wonderful store on Roeland Street started filling up. With bidders perusing the lots downstairs, whilst umming and ahhing, and making strategic bids in the silent auction. Upstairs was where the action took place. After a small talk from Ikamvanite and board member Thobela Bixa and brief screening of the IkamvaYouth film, everyone was ready for the live auction to commence!
Rob Van Vuuren joined the party and seemed to persuade, coax, and even force people to part with their hard earned cash, with promises of karma and a great sex life! It seemed to do the trick. The generosity of bidders was astounding; hands being thrust in the air repeatedly and simultaneously, in a crazy modern dance.
Conrad Hicks stood in shock as his iron pan crept up and up to reach a total of R2100. The Soceiti Bistro 3 day package shot up to R4400, and Queen of Tarts promise of a cake became entangled in an intense bidding war, resulting in a monumental bid of R2600.
It was a brilliant night, with just the right amount of fun and frivolity and all for a great cause. The total amount raised on the night was R48,150, which will contribute to 3 June/JulyWinter School’s at the Western Cape branches, reaching approximately 300 learners with career guidance, tutoring, excursions, workshops, and general new and exciting activities.
Huge thanks to the people who made the Foodie Auction happen: Carrington Broeman, Steffie Roehrs and Zoe Mann. And to Rob for volunteering to prise money from peoples purses!
On behalf of the learners, the staff and the volunteers who helped with the auction we thank all who attended, and all the donors for making the IkamvaYouth Foodie Auction a real success.
Please see the YuppieChef coverage of this event at http://www.spatula.co.za/ikamvayouth-foodie–auction/
The Ivory Park branch of IkamvaYouth held our very first (inaugural) Strategic Planning Weekend (SPW) recently with a view to getting to know each other better and planning the rest of the year ahead. The weekend was an excellent opportunity for volunteers, tutors and learner representatives to explore a little deeper what it means to be an Ikamvanite and how to make sure that the values we say we represent spill over into our actions.
Download the full report here.
For many the weekend was an excellent opportunity to dig deeper into the IkamvaYouth goals and the core mission to use the opportunuties created by education to help township school learners help themselves and others out of poverty. The co-founder of IkamvaYouth, Joy Olivier, came up from Cape Town to lead a number of the workshops around how we make sure we maintain the low cost high impact model of IkamvaYouth.
The two biggest highlights of the weekend included the election of the Ivory Park Branch Committee for 2011 and this was capped off with a visit from the Minister of Basic Education Ms. Angie Motshekga.
More photos of the weekend are up on our facebook page, you can visit www.facebook.com/IkamvaYouthGauteng.
Please do LIKE us on our facebook page if you haven’t done so already.
On the 13 March 2011 the Ikamva Youth Nyanga Branch hosted its first tesing day for 2011
Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation partnered up with the Nyanga Branch in educating the learners about the importance of knowing your staus and being healthy, a talk was given by Sister Liz of the Tutu testers about the importance of preventing ones self from the HIV virus and why it is imporatnt that learners should test and know their staus early as possible
One of Ikamva Youth’s goal is to assist learners to lead healthy and responsible lives through knowing their status early and taking the necessary procautions when they know
The Tutu testers came with their mobile testing unit and openned up time during the Saturday tutoring session for a group of 6 leaners at a time, to go and test while learners and tutors continued with the normal tutoring for the day
The learners were encouraged to test but also told that testing is ones choice and no one will be forced to test if they dont want to, as Sis Liz mentioned the testing is “voluntary”
Our next tesing day will be held after our Winter School in July!
Waiting for their results after the health screening, TB, BMI, and HIV!
Now we know our status, Do You know yours?
BMI testing!!
Cricket fever was at an all time high at the Ivory Park IkamvaYouth Centre as Neotel launched the Community Internet Cafe in partnership with our friends at Siyakhula. Ikamvanites participated in the festivites and were joined by the Nashua Titans’s Jacques Rudolph, Roelof van der Merwe, Henry Davids, Farhaan Behardien, Heino Kuhn, Ethy Mbhalati, David Wiese and the Bizhub Team Cyclists’ Lynn Torp, Catherine Williamson and Yolandi du Toit to celebrate the event.
A massive thank you to Neotel for an awesome day and the excitement of which was reflected in the response from the community to Neotel’s generous donation of computers, printers, scanners and internet access to the centre and people of Ebony Park and Ivory Park. Our friends at the Siyakhula Computer School aim to inspire students to broaden their knowledge and increase their chances of entry into the working world and this will be all the more easier with the installation of 10 computers, unlimited access to the web, as well as computer lessons so that Siyakhula remains a place of hope and inspiration.
The Nashua Titans themselves also got a chance to “test-drive” the internet café and were taught a thing or two by some of the local community members who have been attending the computer courses on offer at Siyakhula. They then proceeded to take on the Ikamvanites in a 10 minute aside soccer games, mingling with each other amid a lots of physical activity.
Also in attendance was Carol Manana of SABC Sport, Giant Leap, Medi-IQand the favorites of the day Akhumzi and Cindy of Yo-TV who stole the show as everybody wanted a piece of them. Be sure to watch the Big Breakfast show on SABC 1 on Saturday 12th..
One of SA’s top 5 cyclists, Yolandi du Toit was impressed by what she experienced,
“This is not just some passing campaign, this is here to stay, improve people’s lives and truly make a difference […] the people of Ebony Park and Ivory Park have secured an opportunity to better their education and skills.”
Considering the day was dedicated to education and enhancing one’s skills, the sports celebrities were given a chance to showcase their skills and expertise with workspace specialists, Giant Leap who kindly donated nearly 100 soccer balls. These were put to good use by the players and community members in the keenly contested sporting challenges. Alongside this were other fun fitness activities hosted by leading sports equipment suppliers, Medi IQ with hurdles, hoola-hooping and bouncing balls. Titans captain, Jacques Rudolph had the following to say:
“I think that the set up here is fantastic and that the people of Ebony Park and Ivory Park are both fortunate and grateful for all that they have on their doorstep. I encourage other corporates to get involved in their local communities, as it is actually very easy to make a significant difference.”
In her address to the community, Pumi Sithole of Neotel expressed their desire as an organisation to bring about change and positively influence the next generation of leaders. Furthermore, Neotel also donated an overhead projector and screen to the centre in addition to the centre’s current internet café.
“If we can begin by making a positive impact on the development of each community – no matter how big or small that development is, the prospects for this country will be unlimited”, affirmed Pumi.
It’s another goal scored for Siyakhula, IkamvaYouth and Neotel with the successful internet empowerment of the surrounding community! You can be sure that the Ikamvanites will benefit tremendously from the internet now readily avaialble to them
More photos of the day are available to view here.
Written in part by Caroline Malan from MSCSPORTS.
On the weekend of the 5th and 6th of March IYKZN hosted it`s first SPW. This was an honour especially due to the presence of Joy Olivier. The two days were very productive. Team spirit was high and energy was immense.
Over the two days the KZN Team of IkamvaNites discussed everything that the organization is planning for the learners in 2011. From new Branches to Branch comm members. The weekend started out as a normal tutoring Saturday, but after the lessons, than the really fun stuff began. First we discussed the fundamental issues to be covered in the SPW. Things like getting all the volunteers to fully understand what IY is and what it`s values are, what it stands for and it`s glorious and sometimes challenging history.
We went on to discuss the various Branch comm codes(a minor change was made) and elect Commitee members. Many great ideas were brought up in this beautiful meeting. Ideas for the winter school programme, to improve productivity and boost creativity.
All In all,strategic_planning_weekend.pdf the weekend was amazing, the list of things we achieved was just overwhelming. The most interesting bit was when one of the learner reps confessed to believing that the tutors are heartless monsters, (lol) now she understands that they are very nice people who just want to help her. (lol too cute if you ask me :*) )
In conclusion, i would like to declare that IYKZN this year is aiming very high ( especially since we are opening a new branch with a 20-computer computer lab in Chesterville , in the words of Khona WHOOP WHOOP LOL ) and if the energy of the SPW is consistent we will achieve loads.
IkamvaYouth KZN : LIFT AS YOU RISE . . .
SPW Minutes spw_kzn.pdf_.pdf
Saturday 12 February was a day that learners in the KZN branch of Ikamva had been anticipating for more than four months – The Annual Prize Giving Ceremony. Unfortunately our ceremony had to be pushed back to early this year from late last year due to the prizes and certificates not being ready timeously. As was evidenced on Saturday, the event was worth the wait!
Engen sponsored drawstring goodie bags that consisted of 4 Quire note books, pens and diaries for learners whose attendance carried them over into this year. Learners with exemplary attendance also received these goodie bags and a R200 gift voucher from Adams. The learners who passed last year’s assessment tests during Winter School with +80% for various subjects received additional R200 book vouchers from CNA and scientific calculators. For giving so generously of their time, knowledge and skills, the tutors recieved the same gift bags with vouchers and 4gig memory sticks.
Professor David Day, the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at DUT was present at the ceremony. Prof. Day inspired the learners in his speech to Ikamvanites.
“You should keep in mind what and who you want to be in the future. When you have this in mind, you will be able to work hard in order to achieve your dreams. We all don’t want to work all the time, and we get tired of school work, but when you have a dream to work towards, it becomes that much easier for you to push yourself on those days when you don’t feel like working”, said Prof. Day.
Photo: Learners who achieved +80% in assessment tests last year with guests. l-r:Prof. Day, Tania Khumalo, Smilesihle Mngomezulu, Fortunate Chinogureyi, Samkelisiwe Jali, Phelele Gwala, Bulelwa Xobiso, Caroline Ligwa from Engen and Khona Dlamini
IkamvaYouth KZN would like to thank Caroline Ligwa and the staff at Engen for sponsoring prizes. This is one of the ways that we can incentivise hard work for learners and better commitment from volunteers. Thank you very much.
Lokhu enikwenzele thina nikuphinde nakwabanye!
The contents of the goodie bags.
Lloyd Lungu