Empowering South African Youth Through Education

A new school year has begun!  This time of year is a time of send-offs and welcomes, as we watch our 2024 graduates head off to their college destinations and see the many bright new faces arriving in our school programs for 2025.

And what a send-off year this is!  USP learners from the Class of 2024 are off to pursue highly-ranked programs of study in universities across South Africa, including the University of Cape Town, the University of Johannesburg, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Wits University, and others.  They are studying towards degrees in fields such as medicine, engineering, computer science, law, accounting, education, and journalism.  Imagine the learning and growth they will experience, and the bright futures that they will see!

These college send-offs reflect such a significant change – perhaps the most significant – when compared with the USP’s early years.   When the USP was founded in 2012, only a scant handful of learners from our schools were gaining admission to higher education.  This year the number of USP learners who have gone on to pursue bachelor’s degrees or national diplomas has reached well over 200.  Many have now graduated and started professional jobs or continued to pursue further education.

Thank you for all you have done to help the Class of 2024 learners reach this exciting moment in their lives.  All of it --- the math classes, the science enrichment,  medical and social work services, the career exposure and guidance, the applications assistance, and everyday moments of mutual friendship and encouragemnt --- continues to be made possible by your generous support.

Meanwhile, for the USP learners here at our partner schools, a new year of exciting programs has begun.  More than 400 learners have been attending our Friday-Saturday math program Grades 10-12 each week since the start of the school year in January.  The Science4U mobile science van has already come through for the first round of science practicals, and the USP’s microscopes are already circulating through science classrooms at our partner schools.  Next week the chess program kicks off with preparation for an upcoming tournament. And two learners have already been provided with full eye exams and new glasses, just a few weeks into the year, thanks to the USP’s dedicated social work team.

Thanks to you, our GlobalGiving donors, another wonderful year of learning is underway at The Umkhumbane Schools Project.  Nowhere in the world will you find a more motivated, promising, beautiful community of learners, teachers, friends, and mentors.  Your generous donations are making a meaningful, measurable difference – one that is helping many in this year’s cohort of USP learners work towards the dream of their own send-off moment.

The journey continues!  Many thanks, and we will keep you updated.

With gratitude,

Martha