By Paul McKibbin | Project Leader
“Going to school means to learn so that I can build my own life,” says Cynthia (14) who has been at Thandanani House of Refuge in Zandspruit, an informal settlement just outside Johannesburg, since 2011.
Cynthia lost both of her parents and was living with an unemployed aunt, who couldn’t provide food most of the time, so going to school was not an option. But since she has been placed in Thandanani Cynthia has started to excel academically. From hardly being able to read and write when she joined our family, she received a bronze award when she took part in an academic Olympiad for high achievers. And as if that wasn’t good enough her overall school marks for this year have increased by 9%. Her motto is “never give up”.
Cynthia is not the only achiever in Thandanani. Five children’s third term marks were above 60% and 8 were above 70%. They were all awarded with Thandanani Certificates for Academic Excellence – an award Thandanani instituted themselves to recognize individual performance. A wonderful evidence of the difference Thandanani made in these children’s lives.
But it is not just hard work and no play for these children. They also participate in cultural and sports activities, which are all part of the educational process.
But the school year is now winding up and they are looking forward to a well-earned summer holiday over the Christmas period, and then the academic year will start all over again mid-January 2019.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to our children's education.
ONE child MATTERS
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