Three grade 11 learners from Khayelitsha were selected due to their good attendance throughout the year to attend IkamvaYouth KZN's holiday programme. The summer school was held at the UKZN campus, and ran from 2 - 14 December. It was organised and coordinated by IkamvaYouth KZN volunteers, and three volunteers from the Western Cape went along to support them. Click on "read more" to read what Mziwovuyo, Olwethu and Sinethemba have written about their experience.

Two years back i didn't know anything about life. I was blind and didn't know where I'd do after passing matric. I used to beleave that after passing matric you need to go and find work. My life changed when i joined IKamva in 2004. My studies went well and I realised that passing matric is just a begining of a brigther future. All i want is to say THANK YOU IKAMVANITES for making life possible for me and others. Whithout you i wouldin't be where I am today.

Dear Ikamvanites

The hand that writ this letter felt to greatfully privelleged and blessed of your sacrifices and your good deeds.

My life before meeting you guys was all bewilderment and I was like I am swimming in the pool of pandemonium. I used to believe not to believe in myself and having a low self esteem. I used to be a believer of pessimism.

Things changed when I was called "Ikamva student". The change from zero to hero from nothing to something. Ikamva had shaved off my thinking that education is for clever people only. My belief of pessimism was slowly converted to optimism. Then I started to believe in myself and to be confident about myself and school results. I started to see things rather half full than being half empty.

You had putten light to our black minds
You had putten a glittering future to our bleak future
You had made us firm and strong
to our flimsy and frail deeds.

You had shaved off our pessimism
And putten optimisim.
I'm still asking myself why us?
Why coming to Khayelitsha?
Not going to Rondebosch very saturday morning
And teach people who are more clever than us
People who have a brighter future than ours.

On behalf of IkamvaYouth learners I would like to thank everyone who is involved in the IkamvaYouth project.

Without either the volunteers or the learners, IkamvaYouth wouldn’t be possible, because building a house needs a group of people to plan first before building. It is the same as building a brighter future, it needs good people who don’t hesitate to give support and offer advice.

Who would have thought that an unfunded organization can make a huge difference?
Did you know an unfunded organization can produce good services?
IkamvaYouth is the answer.

IkamvaYouth is improving our results. You attend three days per week, you watch educational videos, and you practice computers in the lab. You get assistance with applying for bursaries and tertiary institutions. You get information about careers.