By Louise | Managing Director
Location: Limpopo, South Africa
Focus: Infrastructure Crisis & Learner Resilience
The Harsh Reality: A System Under Siege
In Limpopo, the "Right to Education" is being tested by a crumbling foundation. Of the 3,800 schools under the provincial department, over 1,800 are currently flagged for urgent intervention. We are witnessing a systemic infrastructure failure that has been 30 years in the making.
Hazardous Classrooms: Ceilings are collapsing during active lessons. Overcrowding has reached a breaking point, with some classes squeezing 100+ pupils into rooms designed for 40.
Learning in the Elements: To avoid the danger of falling debris, many children have been moved to verandas or under trees—hardly a conducive environment for focused study.
Sanitary Crisis: Sanitation is not just inadequate; it is dangerous. With the recent rains, many latrines are on the verge of total collapse. Children lack the privacy of doors and, more importantly, the guarantee of safety. Water provision is lacking, so personal hygeine is complicated.
"It is common to see three pupils sharing a desk meant for two, in a room with shattered windows and no functioning blackboard. This is the 'normal' our children are expected to excel in."
It is against this backdrop of chronic staffing shortages and "barely usable" facilities that the strength of the KTD196 program truly shines.
While the provincial infrastructure has deteriorated, our learners' spirits have not. We are incredibly proud to report that KTD196 matriculants achieved a 100% pass rate in 2025. This success proves that while we cannot wait for the government to fix every brick and mortar, we can equip our children with the internal resilience, discipline, and leadership skills to overcome their environment.
Our Urgent Need
The gap between the learners' potential and their environment is widening. As the government struggles to address the priority list for demolition and rebuilding, KTD196 remains on the ground, providing the emotional and academic scaffolding these students need to survive—and thrive—in humane circumstances.
Your support directly funds:
- Life Skills & Resilience Training: Giving kids the mental fortitude to study in overcrowded, deteriorating spaces.
- Advocacy: Ensuring the voices of these flagged schools are heard by the department through our CLA’s and eventually our Federation level of Self Help Groups.
- Support Networks: Filling the gap left by chronic staffing shortages through peer-led scouting and mentorship.
The situation is dire, but the results are undeniable. Our children deserve better than a crumbling ceiling, but until the infrastructure catches up to their potential, we will continue to build the leaders who will one day fix the system.
You enable this to happen, join us on a monthly basis and be a part of making a huge difference in the lives of the children we serve now and for the future. We are doing the job, the evidence is clear. Your support makes the difference.
Blessings
Louise
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