FOCUS ON ITHEMBA - Empowerment Through Education
Category Community Upliftment
Focus on iThemba is a non-profit, public benefit organisation established in 2003 on a site overlooking the Valley of a Thousand Hills in Hillcrest. iThemba - meaning 'hope' - is focused on the empowerment of children through education, and their intervention has meant hundreds of children now have just that - real hope for a bright future. Much of that is through the kindness of the local community as well as international benefactors. Ubuntu, if you like. As Kawulira Edwin said, "Kindness is giving hope to those who think they're all alone in the world."
Tayla Goss, Team Leader for Focus on iThemba, is planning the charity's founding anniversary party next year. She has good reason to celebrate - 20 years in existence, and iThemba's educational programmes continue to expand annually: "We are really excited going into 2023. From ten preschools, we'll be expanding to 12 - in effect, we'll extend our reach to around 100 more children. In addition, we'll be extending our iThemba scholars' programme to sixteen scholarships - we're thrilled about that. After the last two years of COVID19 and devasting floods where we saw the number of school-going children dropped dramatically, we are finally seeing those figures rise again."
Tayla knows that Focus on iThemba has been able to reach its 2-decade long milestone because of the extreme kindness of partners like Wakefields: "From the annual corporate donation to the small acts of financial and other kindnesses by the Wakefields staff, it's that which allows us to do what we do. Allows us to extend our reach." She adds, "The fun Christmas party which Wakefields throws for the children - and the thoughtful gifts and treats - is a highly anticipated day!"
Seven years in, Myles Wakefield, CEO of Wakefields Real Estate, talks of their support for iThemba, "We have supported the futures of these children by investing in their education, an investment we believe will yield a life-long benefit and reward." Wakefields' partnership began in 2016 with the funding of bursaries at iThemba Academy and continued when the Academy was incorporated into Waterfall Schools at the end of 2017. Today, the Wakefields-iThemba partnership supports two scholars in the iThemba Scholars Programme, one in Grade 6 and another in Grade 8, as well as children in the Valley of 1000 Hills community who are benefiting from the work of the iThemba Educare Programme.
The children are flourishing. Teachers have commented on the progress of the Grade 6 learner, "We have loved watching her blossom and grow into the delightful young lady that she is! She's studious, disciplined, and hard-working. She has a passion for singing."
At Waterfall College, the Grade 8 learner is not only a talented sportswoman - particularly in hockey - but a diligent student and wonderful Drum Majorette for which she's just been awarded Junior Colours. Her teachers often comment that when she pledges herself to an activity, she always gives of her best in order to gain the most from the experience presented to her.
For the Wakefields management team as well as each member of staff who has offered a helping hand to assist in the empowerment of young children, it's an immensely gratifying experience to support the goals of Focus on iThemba.
Author: Anne Schauffer
