Township learners help each other achieve 82% pass rate, with 87% of those who passed eligible for tertiary study (51% bachelor and 36% diploma)
IkamvaYouth learners are celebrating great matric results; once again these township youth have achieved results that far surpass the national averages, showing that the odds can indeed be overcome. Matrics from nine branches across five provinces achieved an overall 82% pass rate, with 87% of those eligible for tertiary study (51% bachelor and 36% diploma).
The organisation is proud to achieve these results while scaling its reach; the class of 2014 (244 learners) saw a 63% growth in matric numbers from the previous year (153 learners). Two branches are celebrating excellent results for their inaugural matric cohorts: Joza in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, achieved an 85% pass with 89% of those eligible for tertiary, and Ikageng in the North West achieved an 84% pass with 95% of those eligible for tertiary studies. IkamvaYouth’s director Joy Olivier said: “I’d like to congratulate the ikamvanites on your incredible achievements. I would also like to thank all our staff, tutors, supporters and donors for the energy, commitment, love and support that makes this work possible.”
The class of 2014 are going on to study a range of important fields that will equip them with the skills they need to build South Africa, including medicine, speech and audiology, social work, biomedical science, town management, civil engineering, mechanical engineering and information technology to name just a few!
IkamvaYouth’s work with the class of 2014 is far from over. While many of those who passed have already been accepted by the country’s top universities, there is still work to be done to ensure that none of the class of 2014 become NEETs (not in education, employment or training). Most of the learners who did not pass are eligible for supplementary exams, and IkamvaYouth will be supporting these learners to ensure that they are well-prepared to clear this hurdle on the way to securing post-school opportunities.
IkamvaYouth has maintained a matric pass rate of between 82 and 100% each year since 2005, and true credit for these results must go to the learners, volunteers, the staff, partner organisations and donors. “IkamvaYouth would like to shout out particular thanks to IkamvaYouth’s five largest donors in 2014: Amalgamated Beverage Industries, Omidyar Network, Capitec Bank, the Stars Foundation and the TK Foundation. Without these and all of the other wonderful donors, these results would not be possible. We hugely appreciate your support and are looking forward to continuing to working with you in the years to come,” said chairperson Leigh Meinert.
For more information about IkamvaYouth, please refer to our 2013 Annual Report.
If you would like to donate to IkamvaYouth, please do so via Given Gain or Global Giving or contact alex@ikamvayouth.org.
Hear from the Ikamvanites themselves:
Beauty Komone: “I grew up in an Ivory Park Township in a disadvantaged family of seven where no one including my three siblings (who are out of high school) have gotten into tertiary. Tutoring and other programmes that are run by IkamvaYouth have boosted my performance and the way I perceive life. I am now going to University to study IT.”
Benny Matlou: “IkamvaYouth is not just an educational organisation, it is also an organization of personal growth and empowerment, which takes youth through a journey of self-discovery where one gets to build their personal values and learn the importance of respect, loyalty, dedication and self-discipline. IkamvaYouth has truly lifted me off the ground to new and better heights.”
Jabulile Khoza: “IkamvaYouth went the extra mile by organising winter school, educational trips, career guidance events at the convenience of our branch. Another amazing thing that IkamvaYouth did for me, my life and my career was to link me with an amazing mentor who now is still awesome. It is a blessing and a huge privilege to be an Ikamvanite.”
Nokukhanya Mdlalose: “I would like to thank IkamvaYouth for helping me. Because of them I have achieved a bachelor pass and now have a chance to go to university.”
Mapule Molebatsi: “I joined IkamvaYouth in grade 10 and since then my marks have improved. I now have a bachelor pass and I know that if it was not for the help and encouragement of IkamvaYouth, I would have never gotten this far.”
Nereth Vuma: “IkamvaYouth gave me help that I couldn’t get anywhere else; they did it with willingness and encouragement. I am grateful for the help I have received from IkamvaYouth.”
Mrs Mpangane (Mother of Tiyiselani who achieved 7 distinctions): “Thank you IkamvaYouth, I hope you continue to do the same for other children this year, next year and many other years to come.”
Shelton Chadya (tutor): “I feel very, very happy because seeing these learners do better than we did, we can’t celebrate enough. Most of the learners are people that I tutored. Well done guys!”
Cheryl Nzama (IkamvaYouth Staff Member): “We are very excited about the results coming out of IkamvaYouth. The standards have been set and we hope that IkamvaYouth Mamelodi will achieve the same standards to give learners the best possible opportunities and education.”
Felicia Mpande (Grade 12 learner 2014): “IkamvaYouth assisted me greatly by exposing me to career workshops, computer literacy and creative expressions and has been a second home to me. Thank you for all the help you gave me.”
Dear IkamvaYouth’s incredible tutors and mentors,
You are the key to IkamvaYouth’s success; you embody the spirit of IkamvaYouth and have proven that volunteerism is in fact sustainable and scalable.
Thank you for your inspiring dedication and for being a tremendous example to our learners, and the country at large.
Without you we would not be able to help as many learners as we do. We hugely appreciate the sacrifices you make when you give up your time to tutor, mentor or to help us in other ways.
We want to thank you with this message as our personal round of applause. The credit for our work rests with our dedicated volunteers:
It is you who inspire and enable our learners to achieve these amazing results. You guys are also our BIGGEST benefactors.
We hope to see you continue to lift as you rise and wish you all the very best in everything that you do.
Thank you!
Saturday 29 November was a day of fun and celebration at the Masiphumelele branch. Learners and tutors had their end year prize giving ceremony at Masiphumelele Library. The prize giving is a year-end function that is done every year to appreciate learners and tutors for the great work their done throughout the year. The function was well attended by learners, tutors, family and friends, IkamvaYouth partners and IkamvaYouth staff. The prize giving is where the learners get to be appreciated and acknowledged for their commitment to their own education, as evidence by their presence in the program at the end of the year. Learners received certificates of attendance based on their commitment on the IkamvaYouth values where learners have to make 75% attendance or more to keep their place at IkamvaYouth, and some learners received certificate of excellence for various achievements such as most improved in academics. There were also certificate for the learner of the year based on his/her behaviour, academics, arriving on time and being prepared for tutoring sessions and this category was voted by learners per grade. Our tutors and volunteers also received certificates of recognition for their tireless efforts, helping the learners with their school work throughout the year. A total of 113 certificates and 56 prizes were issued on the day and the learners were excited to be the centre of all this attention.
The parents were happy to see their children awarded with certificates of excellence, appreciation or recognition of their great work throughout the year. The parent of the year(Ms Jonas) a mother of grade 12 learner who always attends our parents meetings and have valuable input at meetings, motivating other parents to commit to their children’s education and applaud IkamvaYouth staff for such good work they’ve done at Masiphumelele community. The mother of a grade 12 learner was very happy to receive an acknowledgement by IkamvaYouth staff for her support.
We would like to thank all our partners and supporters, notably Pick ’n Pay family store at Fish Hoek, Masiphumelele Library, Masiphumelele Community hall, World Teach, Masi Corp, and Desmond Tutu foundation.
IkamvaYouth – The future is in all our hands.
As the year 2014 draws to an end, Ikamva Youth (Nyanga branch) hosted their prize giving event – where the 100 + learners were honored for their hard work throughout the year. This prize giving was a huge success with an amazing support from the parents and the community of Nyanga. This day saw all the learners come dressed proudly in their various school uniforms, and excited to be part of this event.
Prize giving marked the end of the 2014 year for the Ikamva Youth learners and finally all their hard work was being honored with various gifts and certificates. It wasn’t only the learners that were being honored but also the tutors, key external stake holders and some of the parents who assisted in the branch during the course of the year 2014 in order to make the IY Nyanga branch a successful and fully operational branch.
This prize giving would not have been a success without the great support and donations from State Street who assisted the branch in financial means for our prize giving. Waltons stationary shop for donating our lovely prizes which were received by some of our learners and guests. Another great thanks to our esteemed guest speaker Mr Richard Dyantyi and Mr Wandisile Mdepa from UWC and the lovely Kristen Thomson from Numeric. This prize giving was held at the Oscar Mphetha High school, IY would also like to thank the principal of the school for allowing us to use his school hall.
Not only Ikamva youth issued prizes and certificates but our partners Kristen from Numeric issued out certificates and chocolate, to all the learners who participated in the in fundamental math’s programme. Mr Mdepa from UWC also issues out certificates to all the learners who had participated in the grade 11 empowerment workshop. Ikamva youth issues gifts and certificates to the learners who attended the IY programme through the course of the year. Learners who also did outstandingly well in their academics were honoured on this day.
Thank you to all the spport recieved in the year 2014.
On the afternoon of Friday, 28 November 2014, celebrations were underway in Makhaza at the Desmond Tutu Hall. Where the annual prize giving event was held, in which we recognize and celebrate the achievements of learners, volunteers and stakeholders who have performed well and been a great support throughout the year.
The prize giving was well attended by learners, their families, partners and supporters and IY staff. They bore witness to the great work and sacrifice the learners have made and how these sacrifices were converted into achievement. The categories of the prizes that were given included; academic achievement, most improved learner, outstanding leadership and best attendance (learners above 75%). More than 50% of our Ikamvanites had an average attendance of over 90%. This is a great feat as we have tutoring 6 days a week and this dedication just shows how special this programme is to the learners. Our amazing tutors were also recognised and awarded with certificates.
Our partners who work closely with our learners also gave out certificates of participation on the various programmes they hold with these young motivated individuals. Numeric, hosts a mathematics programme, Khan Academy, for grade 9s which is run by Yanga Zukelwa a Maths tutor. Creative Code hosts workshops every Friday afternoon specializing in programming and is run by Marion Walton who is a lecturer from UCT. The facilitators from EWHOZA were also in attendance, they facilitate life skills workshops and have a created a documentary which was directed and produced by the Ikamvanites.
We would like to thank the following people who attended the prize giving and those who made this day possible; Desmond Tutu Hall, Tamara Stelma (Mentorship Programme), Nazeema Isaacs Library, Old Mutual, Khwezi Bonani (UCT), Marion Walton (Creative Codes), Kristen Thompson (Numeric), Olga Ganta (Capitec Bank) and Tasha Koch (EWHOZA) and IkamvaYouth Makhaza Tutors.
Lloyd Lungu