“Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine.” — Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
In the Lynedoch valley, historical cycles of intergenerational poverty remain prevalent. In order to address the debilitating impacts on today’s children the SI has been supporting the children in the valley with full bursaries since 2016 to enable them to access quality education at the Sustainability Institute. As our director Vanessa von der Heyde, says: “The children of Lynedoch valley face many challenges as a result of intergenerational poverty and its broken cycles of access and hope. For each child educated, we see the possibility for a new future to unfold.”
When the local government primary school closed at the end of 2015, the SI made a commitment that no child in this community would lose access to quality education because their family could not afford it. Working alongside SPARK Schools, full bursaries were offered to every Lynedoch Primary learner who wished to continue their education at the new on-site school that opened in 2016.
This commitment was part of our founding mandate as an NGO, and it remains important for the SI to enable access to quality education opportunities, within a safe and nurturing learning environment.
When we opened our own community primary school (after SPARK moved to new larger premises at the end of 2021), this commitment remained for our own learners, ensuring that annually approximately 60 children continue to receive tuition, transport, nourishing meals, uniforms, extracurricular activities and socio-emotional support. All of these support factors enable a child to experience learning in a safe and secure space where their imaginations can thrive and they can work to make their dreams and aspirations come true.
As the programme marks its 10th anniversary, Vanessa’s words capture the essence of its results: “Every learner graduates better equipped to be an active citizen who has a clear sense of their role within society and has the mindset to work at creating a better future for themselves and their communities.”
Jessica Eley, the School co-ordinator acknowledged: ”Our school programme continues to have a meaningful impact on children and their families within the Lynedoch community. We have always focused on providing a nurturing, inclusive, and enriching learning environment where every child is encouraged to thrive and to really flourish in their own unique way. Through holistic, hands-on learning experiences, children develop confidence, independence, curiosity, and strong social-emotional skills alongside their academic growth.”
Yvette Ras is a teacher at the school and has seen the impact, “The bursary programme has made a real difference in the lives of our learners. Many of them face challenging circumstances and academic challenges, and this support has given them hope, encouragement, and opportunities they may not have had otherwise. We have seen learners grow academically in confidence, feel more motivated in class and believe more strongly in their future and what they can achieve because they know that people care about their education and wellbeing. The programme creates encouragement, confidence, and a sense of belonging for our children, while reminding them that their dreams and education matter.”
Fundraising and support from long-standing partners has made this possible. Continued funding and support of additional funders will ensure we can continue offering these bursaries, which amount to approximately R47 000 per learner per year.
The numbers tell one story. Kenlyn, Innocentia, and the many children like them tell a far greater one.
Kenlyn Jones’s parents made the application for her to attend the SPARK school in 2016 when she was 9 years old. At first she was struggling to integrate but this was eased as she settled into the school and its daily rhythms. Later she began excelling at her school work and successfully matriculated to gain a place at CTU Training Solutions in Stellenbosch doing an IT course.
“To the people who gave the bursary to Kenlyn, we want to say thank you for changing my child’s life, giving her an education, and a chance in life,” reflects her mother. For Kenlyn: “I really enjoyed the classes where we learned how to use computers because it taught me how to work on laptops and do my own research. I think the experience really matured me and prepared me to learn how to adapt quickly and understand situations. Now I am focusing on completing my studies, which I hope to do successfully.”
Innocentia Ratuludi’s parents applied for the bursary in 2016 when she was 9 years old and her acceptance meant everything as money was tight.
Today Innocentia is at college and has high hopes: “I enjoyed computer class back then and what I learned the most that has stuck with me to this day are the core values I learned at school. I am confident that I can achieve whatever I put my mind to and my self esteem is high. I’m hopeful that my life will turn out to be great and that I will achieve big things in life for the sake of my family and myself.”
Her mother shares: “She just wants to be successful and be able to take care of us. At the moment she wants to further her studies by going to university. I would like to thank everyone that played a role in ensuring that my child has a good education and a better future.”
Companies or individuals that want to get involved in our work and support us financially, can reach out to us at info@sustainabilityinstitute.net. Donations can also be made through our page on GivenGain.