Swaziland's population consists of nearly 25% orphaned and vulnerable children. The implications of these statistics are far-reaching and potentially disastrous to the nation's future prosperity and stability.. Because these children lack home situations that enable them to thrive in traditional schooling environments, it is critical to provide specialized education conducive to their unique needs. Hope academy has been developed specifically to address this segment of the population.
The children of Swaziland have been innocent victims of the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has swept the land. The trauma of losing parents and personal moorings has left them with a sense of impermanence and uncertainty. The fragility of their existence presents unique challenges for their education. They are often not able to assimilate information and skills in the ways that other students can. Because of behavioral problems and poor learning skills they are often marginalized and left to fail.
At Hope Academy we have introduced an individualized system of education that is sensitive to the needs of orphans. The students are included in goal-setting - thereby developing critical thinking and instilling life skills they will need in other arenas. Every student is evaluated and assigned an educational level at entry with ongoing progress assessment thereafter. Our curriculum is globally recognized and positions the students for competitive entry into university-level education.
Hope Academy is positioned to provide education to students who are preparing to fill the positions left empty by their elders who are dying too young. Our students are preparing themselves for careers that range from chicken farming to medicine.Without the specialized attention they are receiving at Hope Academy most would never achieve their potentials. Though we are a small group, we are a vital part of the grassroots movement that is springing up in Swaziland to bring hope for the future.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Excel file (projdoc.xls).