Emthonjeni - Community centre

1. Adults and Children’s Computer Centre

We realized that job creation would be one of the most challenging projects we would need to undertake to make a difference to the Community. Our concern is the vast number of children and young people, that are not exposed to computers and the Internet, together with its benefits in this Information Age.

Four years ago we started the computer centre with only one computer. Our trainer Naphtally Letsholo was educated as an A+ Computer Architect at College Campus. He further completed a CTT+ Course, which qualifies him as a Certified Technical Trainer.

The course run under his supervision is underwritten by Optimus foundation and the certificate obtained by students is ABET certified.

Today our computer centre caters for adults and children with a total of 20 computers where training is supplied in Electronic Spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel), Word Processing (Microsoft Word), Presentations (Microsoft PowerPoint), Introduction to P.C.’s, General Office Practice and Keyboard Skills ,as well as the Internet.

Explanation of Needs:

The Department of Education currently only pays for one trainers’ salary for 8 hours a week. Our current trainer Naphtally, currently doubles up as a caretaker of the property.

The salary for two trainers working 40 hours per week , as well as a trustworthy Caretaker is required, in order to utilize our facilities to its fullest:

-	We could effectively train up 64 adult students each year.
-	Teach 16 children every weekday afternoon.

We require employment opportunities for our trained scholars, who has received training over a period of one year – with 320 hours

-	hands-on experience and an ABET accredited certificate.ar.
-	Temporary or fulltime employment in data capturing
-	Temporary employment during holidays
-	Further training opportunities in house – exposure to faxes, photocopies, reception etc
-	Project employment
-	Human Resource department’s assistance in writing Curriculum Vitae for students
-	Interaction with your current employment agency relating to job opportunities for these students.

We require a sponsor for the Internet usage amounting to R750.00 per month. It is envisaged that we will rent our Internet access time similar to an Internet Café, as soon as the need arises in the community, in order to raise funds for sustainability. Until then we have to rely on a sponsor

Consumables - Paper, ink cartridges, training manuals, toner and maintenance of our equipment, until we can charge for the training, to cover these costs.

To investigate partnering with the relevant SETA for skills development, to unlock Skills Development funds for our Skills Development Project.

Objective:
Job Creation and Recruitment

2 . After-care Center – Golang Educational Team

The dedicated team of 16 takes care of the spiritual, physical, educational (literacy and reading skills) and recreational needs of approx 300 after school children between 14h00 to 16h30 every Monday and Thursday weekly.

They also prepare a holiday programme in July and September school holidays, by providing fun activities and taking the children on outings.

The Golang project has provided income by obtaining sponsors for R200 per month per child, which provides a fortified breakfast daily, winter and summer school uniforms including shoes for 170 children. The other 130 are as yet unfunded.

Explanation of Needs:

The current education system lacks and is ineffective in its approach, as 45% of Grade 7 pupils are tested and found to be functionally illiterate. At a class ratio of 70:1, most children are standing in a class situation, we believe in a three-pronged approach.

From birth the children must be stimulated by their biological mothers and be taken up in a pre-primary school with ongoing physical and emotional stimuli. Parents, especially the mothers must be educated in raising babies.

In order to change the lives of a generation, we need to focus on education, as the Government is currently investigating building another school in the area. This may only materialize in the next couple of years.

The children, once school going, must be kept active and one-to-one assistance must be provided in reading, literacy, computer skills and mathematics in the aftercare.

English language and Life Skills programmes are presently being investigated, as this appears to be a great need in the community.

Feeding appears to be a major breakthrough in the Golang education scheme, as approximately half of school going children are orphaned and children were being sent to school without being fed properly.

Our assistance will also have to be focused on the Secondary School child. The current drop out rate of these children is reaching astounding proportions. School pupils are dropping out at a rate of 85% of children finally leaving school after Grade 6. With no prospect of a job, they are left to a life of fending for themselves. This may lead to a life of crime and substance abuse.

We are planning a drop-in centre, a youth group and entrepreneurial skills programmes.

The computer centre for children has just been completed whereby 8 children at a time, could be exposed / and or trained in various computer skills.

Objective:

Quality education over quantity. We can only train up 300
children within our budgets and still provide a quality education.

3 . Art School

African Art is sought over throughout the world, and with this project we hope to stimulate the local population to use their initiative and self-expression into Art, to benefit and uplift them socially and economically

Explanation of Needs:

In 2005 the Art School was started and was well attended, but we are experiencing more difficulties since the beginning of 2006, as we are inundated with so many applicants, especially children who wish to attend.

Objective:

To instill a sense of self-respect, dignity and self-fulfillment into the people living at Zandspruit. The social benefits include an overall improvement in the quality of life and mental well being, as well as laying a positive foundation to grow culturally and emotionally.