On 29 November, FunDza Literacy Trust staff set off to Kayamandi, Stellenbosch to deliver books to four new beneficiary organisations that are running various programmes for young people.
Vision Afrika runs a three year programme for Grade 10 to 12 learners. The Grade 10 year focuses on Life Skills Development and discusses issues like self-awareness, career development, substance abuse, HIV/Aids and peer pressure. The Grade 11 year is Personal Growth and Social Conscience Programme, aimed at creating spaces for youth to reflect on their personal identity within the context of their community and, based on this understanding, to provide assistance in acquiring organisational development skills and experience needed to increase local capacity for community-driven change. And, in Grade 12 the focus is the Academic Skills programme, providing tuition in at least Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematics.
The Kuyasa Empowerment programme includes an after school learning centre that provides extra classes for all ages from Grade R to Grade 12. They also run a youth leadership group that empowers young people to be leaders in their community.
The Legacy Community Development organisation runs an afterschool programme for more than 100 learners. Part of the focus is on improving reading skills as a means to empowering individuals.
The Greater Stellenbosch Development Trust’s focus is on promoting excellence in education of which literacy is seen as being of paramount importance. The trust trains teachers, facilitators, learners and parents in literacy skills and helps them to share their knowledge with others.
At the handover at the GSDT, author Ros Haden spoke to the learners about the books and the process of writing. She also introduced them to the FunDza mobi network and encouraged all to register to become “FunDza Fanz” so that they could read more online, enter competitions and submit their own writing to be showcased via the mobi network.