Educate a South African Child Experiencing Poverty

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Lericia remembers living on the streets with her mother and siblings when she was only six years old. A local church offered the homeless family a shipping crate in which to make a home. Lericia and her brother then enrolled at Christel House South Africa.

Thanks to a holistic education and the continuing support of the College & Careers program, today Lericia is a supervisor of employee training for a technology company. “The Christel House values made me the person I am,” says Lericia. “I am proud to be an ambassador for Christel House!”

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• Watch Lericia's Amazing Story

Dozens of Christel House South Africa (CHSA) students participated in a virtual global field trip as part of the annual Microsoft 48 Hour Skype-A-Thon. CHSA was the only school selected to represent South Africa. The world-wide educational event connects half a million students, teachers and experts with schools using Skype in the Classroom. The two-day event shares cultural experiences, values and perspectives with live classroom connections. Christel House students performed traditional South African dances and songs for the world-wide audience and received enthusiastic feedback. As a Microsoft showcase school, CHSA students also participated in a live Q&A session with Microsoft’s Vice President of Education, who inspired the kids to maximize their tech learning environment at Christel House.

On the anniversary of what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday, students of Christel House South Africa along with partners from Dell EMC teamed-up to celebrate the anti-apartheid activist, political leader and President of South Africa. To honor Mandela’s memory, students were encouraged to help clean up their communities by bringing two plastic bottles to school; one to recycle and the other one in which to plant a Spekboom tree to take home. With drought issues in South Africa, the Spekboom is an eco-friendly tree – it requires very little water and is a CO2 guzzler, off-setting harmful carbon emissions. The Mandela event was a true teaching moment. Young students learned about the inspiring leader, remembered as the “Father of the Nation,” and honored his legacy by improving their neighborhoods.

Christel House South Africa (CHSA) has become a leader in using technology to bridge the digital divide facing impoverished children. Education leaders from across the Western Cape visited to see how they do it. Recognized as a Microsoft Showcase School, CHSA has been expanding the use of computers and software throughout their classrooms. Students demonstrated the technologies and benefits to the visiting educators. In the music room, students showed how software allows learners and teachers to collaborate writing and sharing music in real-time. “Without Microsoft, our learner’s progression in technology would not have been possible,” says Adriaan Hector, IT Manager, CHSA. “Mastering technology skills makes our learners even more desirable as future employees.”

Christel House South Africa helped students escape the cycle of poverty and violence. Now a group of graduates is giving back through an alumni mentoring program. Zola is currently working at Rothko Content Marketing Agency in Cape Town. She says she is getting as much out of the program as the students she mentors. “Working with the younger Christel House students has been incredibly enriching. It makes me realize that my words and actions can have a profound impact." 20 years after Christel House began, graduates like Zola are proving that the Christel House Model WORKS! Your support can help students like Zola succeed and give back. 

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• Watch How It Works