Education South Africa Project #17526

Community-based education programs in Africa

by Even Ground

Community-based education programs in Africa

Project Report | Oct 31, 2017
Exploring New Avenues in South Africa

By Christopher Eaglin | Executive Director

Working with Children in KwaZulu Natal

Hello Even Ground donors and supporters!

We continue to be extremely grateful for your contributions to our cause. With your support, we are able to support over 2,000 young people in South Africa through our five programs, Kgololo Academy, Thanda, Siyabonga, Holy Cross, and the Dukathole Scholarship Fund. Over the past several years, we have worked to provide reliable and high quality education, nutrtition, and health care to our young people. We are proud of the great strides we have made to make our projects more sustainable.

As a result of our successes, we continue to seek out new projects to add to our portfolio. Recently on a trip to South Africa, I visited a wonderful project called Siyakwazi based on the south coast of KwaZulu Natal. Siyakwazi is focused on serving the absolute least and forgotten of traditional communities, children with disabilities. They work with schools and community centers to identify children with physical, emotional, and learning disabilities to assist in creating long term inclusion plans for them so that they can participate in school and eventually become a productive member of the community. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Thandandani (pictured herein). This lovely young girl suffers from mental disabilities that would prevent her from joining in school activities. However, through the work of a local Siyasiza (a development specialist employed by Siyakwazi), she is able to attend the local school with other children in her communities. Her Siyasiza visits her school twice a week to assist the teacher in creating progams for Thandandani and ensuring that she is able to participate as new lessons are introduced.

I also had the opportunity to visit the Marahishi Institute, a university based in Joburg that provides young adults comprehensive business training. The students come from underprivileged backgrounds with little formal education. By the end of their training, they are often placed in top firms in the country based on a curriculum that addresses intellectual, social, and physical development. This training includes a number of extra curricular activities including a wonderful choir. I was fortunate enough to perform with them as part of their learning classical arts module (video attached through link).

We at Even Ground are proud to support these projects. As donors, we remain grateful your support of our organization so that we can help the very least in South African society.

We look forward to seeing you at one of our events or at one of our projects soon!

Links:

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Aug 17, 2016
Progress Report on Short-term Scholarships to help Needy Students Finish Candidate Classes in Uganda

By Ahmed Zziwa | Executive Director, FINIDP

Justine at school on his visitation day -1

Dear Global Giving Team,

It is yet another privilege to share exciting news about the progress that is being made by our three beneficiaries of the short-term scholarships, namely Justine, Brenda and Shafiki. School visits and telephone calls made have revealed that the trio continues to make good progress at their individual schools as outlined below:-

Justine, a girl from a very poor background of an impoverished family yet with many siblings has for the first time managed to stay at school for her 2^nd term without school fees challenges. She has had uninterrupted classes since she won a scholarship to finish her Form 6 (Senior 6) at Mpoma Royal College based in Mukono district. Justine assured the Scholarship coordinator (Daniel) that she can now afford to focus on improving her Academic Grades because she has no worries related to school fees at least for this term and next term. Justine was visited at school on August 13, 2016 and was found busy writing her MOCK exams which are intended to prepare her for the final Certificate exams. When asked about what she feels having won the two-term scholarship, Justine had this to say ‘’…… I feel privileged, lucky and very happy that I’m now sure that I will finish my High School and probably get a Certificate, may the Almighty God bless whoever is behind the resource mobilization …’’

Brendais also making convincing progress at Masajja Secondary School, Kamapala. She is grateful to the Global Giving Team for making her dream of completing Advanced Level Certificate exams a reality. Brenda pledged to the Scholarship coordinator (Eva) that she will work hard to get good Academic Grades so that she can at least enroll for a certificate or Diploma Course after A-Level. Listening to Brenda, you see a person with a passionate heart willing to support other needy children when she becomes gainfully employed in future. On her visitation day [12th Aug 2016] she had this to say:”… I see many needy children suffering without any financial assistance to stay in school, at least I have been very lucky to get this scholarship but there are many children who have no one to help…. I always say to myself I wish I was coming from a family that has enough and I could help out the needy…”

Shafiki, having been the first to win a scholarship in the first term of his Form 6, is more stable at Crested Senior Secondary School, in Kampala. He keeps making good progress at school. Shafiki has even gone an extra mile to get fully involved in group discussions and this has helped him to improve his Academic Grades. Talking to Shafiki you see a young man who is more positive about life and the future. He is currently doing his MOCK exams and at the end of the school term his academic grades shall be shared. Shafiki keeps saying: “the only way I can pay back to whoever fundraised for me, in the short-term, is by getting good Academic Grades but I have also learned that donating towards the needy, however small, can help contribute improving one’s future”. My colleagues in a similar situation, keep advising me not to waste this golden opportunity.

The three students convey their gratitude to whoever contributed towards their cause, particularly Global Giving Team coordinators.

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Jun 9, 2016
Global Giving Report -FINIDP Uganda

By Zziwa Ahmed | Project Leader

Shafiki Photo - 1.jpg

Dear Global Giving Friends,

Our biggest news is the decision by FINIDP to start offering short-term scholarships to a few needy students using a fraction of the general operating funds already granted from Even Ground. Our plan is to target a few academically promising students who are in candidate (Certificate Awarding) classes but are struggling to stay in school because of tuition and other school dues. Our first beneficiary is Shafik, a male aged 19 years, currently in Senior Six (Form 6) at Crested Senior Secondary School, in Kampala.

To Shafiki primary education was smooth with no big school fees challenges but life changed drastically when his Dad lost a job. According to Shafiki, the education journey at first was not the worst not until his father, divorced the mum. Shafiki noted that this seemed as something to reckon with but later turned up to be a huddle in his way of life. Shafiki said: “when mum left home life completely changed as my father continuously lived a life of hardships”. “Dad deserted us; we were left alone in the house for about three years”. “In these years, my brothers and sisters had to take care of me but they were also in secondary school and couldn’t help much”. “From Primary Five, I have been to different schools because school fees debts have been accumulating”. I am currently in Form Six, but with lots of financial problems and inconsistency at school yet in a candidate class one needs maximum concentration to achieve good grades.

FINIDP has already started by paying Shafiki’s outstanding tuition fees and examination fees for his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams due in December 2016. The purpose of the scholarship is to help Shafiki complete his UACE, which is a prerequisite to Vocational Training or College or University Education Institution.

We are grateful to Even Ground for the continued support and to all our supporters on Global Giving for making this possible.

Thanks,

Zziwa Ahmed

For FINIDP

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