“We came to the other side of the world hoping to meet people of different cultures and different lifestyles. We did meet people with completely different backgrounds from ourselves, but what surprised me most were the similarities that we found between ourselves and everyone we met. Many people talk about differences, but we have so much more in common with the families we lived with and the students we taught than anything else. I learned that we are all part of the same world and it is our responsibility to teach each other and help each other in any way we can.”
Elizabeth Arkel, SMRC
“I came to South Africa to see what I wanted to do with my life, to see what I was called to do. But never in my wildest dreams could I have predicted what I would find in our villages: unconditional love, acceptance, and hospitality. Without a doubt, I know that I am meant to help people, to work with them to improve their lives and their futures. And at the same time, I have found that they’ve changed me even more than I could ever hope to help them.”
Sarah Burns
While I know there were thousands of issues that we didn't discuss, and many more layers to dig into, we went far beyond the surface simplicity that meets most tourists on their visits to the country. We addressed the complexity and contradictions that we saw, we asked many, many questions and we challenged the answers we were given. We sat in silence, we cried in sadness and in joy, we laughed... and we danced!
Claire Magat, Stanford Business School
“My Service Learning Trip opened my eyes to the social issues and challenges facing South Africa in the education space, while also being broadly thematic in a way that I can leverage these learnings to other regions and sectors in the business and nonprofit world. More importantly, my experience inspired me by demonstrating how social entrepreneurs who follow their passion, energy, and vision can improve the lives of their fellow brothers and sisters.”
Andrew Tam, Stanford Business School
Training & Skills Development:
Computer training
The Telkom sponsored computer training program for the e-Citizen and ICDL (International Computer Driving License) Core Certificate course at the five primary schools began in mid-2007. A total of seventy five candidates have received the introductory training. These candidates consisted of teachers, pupils and community members representing each of these primary schools.
The program aims at providing the top five candidates from each of the schools with the full ICDL training. The intent is to develop a small core group of individuals with advanced computer skills in the community. These candidates will hopefully assist with the maintenance of the centres at the schools, thereby reducing downtimes. Furthermore, those who show proficiency will effectively have the platform to begin their own service-oriented businesses.
READ
The READ program sponsored by ABSA Foundation is a three-year teacher and school manager training program implemented at five primary schools. The project aims to establish teaching best practices within the system of education. It further aims to improve literacy, language and communication skills of learners through school-manager and educator training with a view towards whole school development.
‘Outreach’
The Trust’s most recent endeavour has been to afford international guests the opportunity to experience life in a rural community by residing in the villages of Manyeleti. This initiative provides an educational opportunity for both the community members as well as visitors.
Mr. Saul Garlick, Executive Director of the Student Movement for Real Change (SMRC) arranged for 18 students belonging to the SMRC from across America to live and work in the villages for a month during their summer vacation (July) in 2007.
The students ran various workshops for the benefit of both learners and teachers. These included arts & drama, sports and theatre. They also provided educational input specifically in the subjects of Mathematics, Science and computer training. Their program also included Health Day workshops which included an HIV/AIDS awareness program.
Both the students and the community members described the learning from this experience as life-changing. The community members have asked for this to be an annual event and the SMRC have agreed.
In addition to the invaluable input that these students have provided to the communities, they have also committed to fundraising and have become advocates for the plight of this poverty stricken area. Similar trips with other foreign student groups including Stanford Business School have taken place with similar positive outcomes.
