Altogether 50 former students of Qhayiya Secondary School in Zwelihle were overwhelmed with gratitude and joy after receiving a laptop each, which is to assist them greatly in their tertiary studies.
The top 50 students to pass their 2024 final matric examination with bachelor’s passes, were chosen to receive the laptops donated by a municipality in Sweden.
Speaking at the handover, Dr Ayanda Mfanekiso, Director of the RDP Centre in Zwelihle and founder of the Reclaiming Fathers and Sons programme, explained that the initiative is part of a project to equip and support young people dedicated to developing themselves and pursuing tertiary education further.
He explained the laptops were collected in Sweden and sent to South Africa through Dennis Ekbom, who worked with the RDP Centre to distribute them to Qhayiya Secondary School, which has the highest number of disadvantaged students, being a Quintile 2 secondary school.
According to Mfanekiso the laptops were intended to enable the students to do research and compile important documents on their future journey at the tertiary institution they attend.
“It serves as a start-up kit for learners wanting to improve themselves through further studies. It also helps to give them dignity.”
He said the parents who were present when the donation was made were so humbled by it, showing as it did how children from informal settlements were being recognised as much as their counterparts at the more well-resourced schools, both public and private.Motivated
It also served as an incentive for matriculants to work hard and achieve the best results.
Since the inception of the programme, said Mfanekiso, Qhayiya Secondary School’s matric pass rate and the quality of passes had improved exponentially.
“The school’s matric pass rate improved from 63% to 84,5%. More than 130 learners achieved bachelor’s passes, but we had only 50 laptops left so we chose the top 50 students.”
Other criteria for awarding the laptops included looking at the quality of the pass, the intention to pursue tertiary studies and the learner’s economic background.
Overstrand Deputy Mayor Lindile Ntsabo congratulated all the recipients, expressing his appreciation of the top students, who achieved three passes above 94%.
During the handover ceremony, Ntlupheko Mbongisa also thanked the parents for their dedication to and their patience with the leaners.
Councillor Archie Klaas, Speaker of the Overberg District Municipality, said he himself was gratified by the joy and gratitude on the recipients’ faces.
“I cannot express the joy of witnessing these things, not to mention the appreciation from the parents, who were also thanked for supporting their children,” he said.
As this was the last batch of donated laptops, said Mfanekiso, he has since reached out to contacts in America for future donations.
“Hopefully we will be able to branch this project out to reach learners from schools in other areas in the Overstrand.”
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The RDP Training Centre in Mbeki Street, Zwelihle runs a host of other programmes aimed at improving the lives and living condition of people in the area, including sewing and computer courses and a food security programme.
It also offers a safe haven for victims of gender-based violence. Other programmes are aimed at empowering single parents and empowering fathers in conflict with the law.
“So instead of serving a sentence or doing community service the men undergo a six-week rehabilitation programme that also helps their reintegration into the community,” Mfanekiso explained.
To find out more about the programmes at the RDP Training Centre or to make donations in aid of these programmes, visit the centre on the corner of Mbeki and Zuma Street, contact Mfanekiso on 060 442 7877 or send an email to ayandamf@yahoo.com.au