Empower youth through education in S.A

Each year, IkamvaYouth supports learners to ensure they not only pass matric, but also access post-school opportunities that can lead to them earning a dignified living. These opportunities include tertiary and other training opportunities, learnerships, and employment. In January, we were excited to announce a pass rate of 82% for the class of 2018, with 69.3% eligible for tertiary.

With the dust of the matric pass celebrations having settled, IkamvaYouth is proud to announce a placement rate of 77.7%:

• 50% learners of the class of 2018 have been placed into post-school opportunities (39.5% are studying at university or college; 6.1% are in short courses, higher certificates and related short term training; 2.1% are enrolled in learnership programmes; 2.3% are  employed)
• 27.7% are improving their matric results through supplementary exams/upgrading programmes or enrolled in NCV courses at FET colleges.
• 22.3% are currently not in education, employment, or training (NEETs).

A total of 188 (39.5%) of IkamvaYouth’s 2018 matric learners have secured tertiary placements at various institutions across the country. As has been the trend in recent years,CPUT has the highest number of Ikamvanites enrolled (17 learners). It is encouraging to note that the number of institutions that have enrolled 10 or more Ikamvanites have increased to seven this year (UCT, Rhodes, TUT, UJ, UWC, NWU, CPUT). Last year, only four institutions had 10 or more Ikamvanites enrolled.  

It is also encouraging to note the increase in the number of learners getting into the following institutions, compared to last year.

Ikamvanites are enrolled in a wide range of courses this year, including Humanities & Social Sciences, Business, Administration & Management, Education, as well as Science & Engineering. The diversity of career streams taken by the learners is encouraging, and it makes us proud to be supporting the learners to access these respective career choices.   

Without the support of the branch staff and mentors, some of these learners would not have had the chance to know the courses they are pursuing even existed. One of these learners, Rebaone, from our Ikageng branch had the following to say:

“I have had only positive things to say. IkamvaYouth helped us a lot last year while I was in matric. In simple words, I didn't think I would be in university, I had limited knowledge of available courses and learned how to apply for enrolment, and course requirements. I would not have even made it through to matric without IkamvaYouth’s assistance. It is because of how much IkamvaYouth invested in me that I decided to become a tutor, for me it was only fair to give back as much as I have received. But also seeing how much IkamvaYouth changes lives from my own experience, being part of that is an honour. There's a lot one can get from IkamvaYouth and the best part of it all is that you ought to utilise that opportunity because not many people are as fortunate. I honestly had and am still having an amazing experience at IY and I hope to keep being part of the IY family for as long as I can”.

Access to funding for tertiary has improved by close to 20% from last year; 73% of those who accessed tertiary have thus far secured funding through NSFAS as well as other bursaries/scholarships, compared to just 56% last year.

“I am very grateful to the staff for the support that they have given me. I don't think that I would have made it without them based on the kind of person that I was before”.

~Mihlali, Joza  IkamvaYouth alumnus

Mihlali joined the Joza branch because he heard some of his friends discussing the level of assistance they were receiving from the IkamvaYouth programme. Mihlali passed his matric with a Bachelor pass, earning two distinctions in Maths Literacy and Isixhosa Home Language. Mihlali is enrolled at Rhodes University, pursuing a Social Sciences Degree. Mihlali has been very consistent in his academic performance throughout this year and attributes that to the support he has received from IkamvaYouth.

Thank you to our funders, tutors, staff and all partners continue to make the journeys to dignified living for our learners a sure possibility. As more and more learners access post-school opportunities, we are confident they are breaking the cycle of poverty in their families one step at a time!

In its 16th year of operation IkamvaYouth is proud to announce an 82% matric pass rate, with a 69.3% tertiary eligibility for its class of 2018. This is a great achievement compared to averages of the schools these learners attend, which sits at 76% matric pass rate with 58% learners eligible for tertiary.

Every year, IkamvaYouth learners’ results far exceed those of their feeder schools and township averages, as the reality of the Basic Education system in South Africa remains that 50% of learners don’t make it to matric. The Gauteng region led this year’s pack of achievers with a combined 89% pass rate. Our Diepsloot branch, hosted its inaugural matric cohort. The branch has achieved a stellar 100% pass rate with a whopping 94% tertiary eligibility (65% bachelor and 29% diploma passes)!

This success comes despite the many challenges the Diepsloot community faces. In Diepsloot (similar to many townships in the country) there is a clear need for the IkamvaYouth programme. Comparative studies reflect the disparity between education accessed by privileged white learners in suburbs and those in townships. There are great differences in performance and for most learners in the township, reaching matric is an accomplishment.

IkamvaYouth in Joza township, Makhanda in the Eastern Cape achieved a whopping 82% pass rate, far surpassing the provincial average of 71%. IkamvaYouth’s Western Cape region scored a 79% matric pass rate, with the Kuyasa branch boasting the highest number of distinction passes obtained – totalling 28! Our KZN and North West regions respectively achieved 79% and 77% pass rates.

IkamvaYouth’s top achievers'outstanding results come in spite of the many odds they had to defy.

Lwando, achieved an aggregate of 82.3% with distinctions in Mathematics, IsiXhosa, Life Sciences, Physical Science, Life Orientation, Geography. Lwando, together with his brother were raised by a single mother, who worked in retail for over 18 years. Committed to his education he has had to overcome many hurdles that come with living in an informal settlement, along with the realisation that he is short sighted. He joined the IkamvaYouth programme, after hearing about it from a friend during his Grade 11 year. He said: “IkamvaYouth provided me with time, space, assistance and a proper studying environment. My mother’s shack was too congested for effective studying.”

Another achiever Alulutho, obtained an impressive aggregate of 81% with five distinctions in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Geography, Life Sciences and IsiXhosa. She will a pursue an Actuarial Science degree, this year. She said: “I worked very hard to achieve my results. During my matric I had to wake up very early to attend morning classes and get home very late because I attended after school classes at IkamvaYouth. Our shack is very small so I had to wait for them to sleep in order to begin my school work with limited disturbances. I did not get to rest even on weekends! The environment I live in has hardly any peace. There is noise from the tavern next door that plays loud music until dawn. Even at home I live with six other family members.”

Twelve organisations, which were part of IkamvaYouth’s Community Collaboration programme, (IkamvaYouth’s social franchise which is aimed to create a sector of effective afterschool programmes, implementing the IkamvaYouth model) provided support to over 200 matrics in 2018 and have achieved an exceptional 91% matric pass rate, with 58% bachelor passes and 21% diploma passes. We are very pleased to share that three of these implementing partners; Bokomoso Education Trust, Mamelodi Initiative and Boys and Girls Club – Protea Glen have achieved a 100% matric pass rate!

IkamvaYouth relies on the support of many committed volunteers to implement its high impact programme. Sipho, a tutor in Diepsloot said he has found IkamvaYouth to be a great platform to express oneself. “I love seeing people progress in life and want to do to more unto others. It takes a village to raise a child and I am a part of this village!”

IkamvaYouth’s work would not be possible without the commitment of our tutors, funders and supporters! Thank you so much!