Publications
Partners
Two of Siyabulela Mokebe’s best friends dropped out of high school.
One, because he was “too old” and the other after he failed matric.
This stirred something very deep within the 22-year-old, who is now completing a Bachelor of Education at the University of the Witwatersrand.
“I felt bad that I was among the top achieving students … all the students who pass are helping themselves,” he said.
In 2015, Mokebe decided to start an organisation called Tamanna4Change, to assist high school learners who struggle academically.
Tamanna is the Hindi word for desire and that is what Mokebe said is at the core of the organisation, after he asked a friend what the Hindi word was for 'desire'.
“The desire my teammates and [I] have to see all learners pass and seeing education as relevant and important,” he said.
As the founder and chairperson, he runs the organisation with four other university students who form part of the organisation’s executive committee.
At 9am every Saturday morning, Tamanna4Change hosts tutoring sessions until noon at Realogile Secondary School, in Alexandra Township.
Mokebe said they tutor 80 learners in total, all between grade 10 and 12, with the aim of supporting them through high school.
“We don’t choose [specific students] but we want those who are already struggling,” he said.
Tamanna4change also hosts various events during the year at the Thusong Youth Centre to add support for the learners.
In 2016 the organisation hosted a dialogue event combining entrepreneurship and education to try to curb unemployment for those who have matriculated and cannot study further.
The idea was to help those ex-students generate some form of income and learn new skills should they not find employment.
The organisation also hosts spelling bee competitions, because, although the learners are in high school, Mokebe said they often battle with spelling.
“Among the reasons why learners drop out of school is because they can’t read and write,” he said.
*Lesego, a grade 12 student who lives in Alexandra, said her soccer coach told her about the tutoring programme because she struggled a lot with mathematics.
She said before she began the tutoring sessions last year her maths marks were treading between 30 and 40 percent.
“I was tempted to change to maths literacy; I never thought I would make it. I didn’t like it, it was hard,” she said.
Since attending the tutoring sessions at Tamanna4Change, Lesego said her marks and her attitude towards maths have significantly improved.
“It’s helped me a lot. I’ve struggled with maths and now my attitude has changed,” she said, adding that her marks have improved to at least 60 percent.
Apart from academic assistance Lesego said the tutors also motivate them, talk to them about university life and encourage them to apply for scholarships.
“The tutors are the coolest protégés on this side of the equator.
“They are like big brothers to us,” she said.
Mokebe said one of their biggest challenges at the organisation is being able to retain volunteering tutors who are also students.
“We have lost many tutors because we can’t pay them. Some of them are even struggling to get here,” he said.
He said they have approached companies and nongovernmental organisations for financial support, but none of these attempts have been successful.
But he said the organisation doesn’t only need money. He called on people to also donate study guides and reading material.
*Lesego’s full name has been concealed to protect her identity.
 |
| ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
