We thought the children at Levana Primary School would struggle to get acceptances into the better quality high schools.
The good news is, we were wrong. The bad news is, education costs money. 14 Levana children have been accepted into schools they would not have had the chance to attend without your help. 9 children have been accepted into Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology ($300USD each).
The CAMST Principal came into Levana and presented to the children and their parents, as well as meeting with them if they had any questions. After that meeting we had it confirmed that as long as the children keep up their academic performance, they will be accepted for the CAMST Grade 8 Class in 2017.
5 students ($1,000USD each) have currently been accepted into Muizenberg High School, a local expensive high school, but with great facilities and opportunities for the children. These schools will open so many doors for the children going forward and will give them a shot at further study or at least a better quality job. Lara, our teacher, deserves a huge amount of credit for all these acceptances, the work she has done is phenomenal.
We are trying to put resources and money into breaking the cycle between the primary school and high school. If we get them into better quality high schools, these children will have the chance at university education, better jobs and sure if they “get out” of lavender hill, that is great. But our ultimate goal is to get them to be leaders within their communities and find ways to help those in Lavender Hill who also want to make better lives for themselves. The leaders and those who are going to change Lavender Hill aren’t people like me and coming and kicking a ball around with the children. It is these children who live in sometime traumatising circumstances, but choose to learn and choose to better themselves and make the right choices. These are the people who are going to change Lavender Hill, and communities ridden by poverty around the world. Those who have every opportunity to take the wrong path, but choose the right one. And not only choose the right path, but make their own path.
We need your help. We have helped children at Levana with their high school applications and will offer them scholarships.
We have worked with 21 children. 9 have got in to Cape Academy of Maths and Science, 5 into Muizenberg HS, we may well have more by the end of the year.
Overall, we may need £15,000, €19,000 $21,000, each year. We want to help cover costs of school uniform, transportation costs, stationery as well as the scholarships themselves. We will continue to monitor the children’s progress throughout high school and beyond and keep those who donated up to date on their progress.
Someone who has already raised a huge amount of money for the Levana children’s scholarships, is Hannah Berendson. Hannah has been a huge support ever since TCT began, and she created an event called Cocktails for a Cause. Around 40 friends and family came together and raised $750. Right there, Hannah and co. have put 2 children through Cape Academy of Mathematics, Science and Technology for a full year. I want to use this part of the blog to say a huge thank you to Hannah, Meghdeep and those who attended the event and helped raise that huge amount of money.
People often ask the easiest way to donate. The easiest way for the donor is definitely by donating to campaigns on crowdfunding sites, they make it as easy as possible.
My mum is running the Leiden Half Marathon in May and if you would like to help her reach her target of £1,000, please visit the following link and donate what you can! Even if you can’t donate, please send her your love and support 🙂
The Sports program continues as usual. However, my godmother Christine raised a huge amount of money (17,000 Rand) to be specifically used on Sports Equipment. We have already supplied the school with a lot of equipment, but Levana has recently become involved in yearly inter-school athletics. They have previously had to borrow sports equipment from other schools, but Christine’s donation means that they now have shot-puts, discus‘, relay batons and even high jump equipment at their disposal for whenever they want to use it! Thank you Christine.
On a personal note, Mikaila, a good friend of mine, and huge supporter of TCT came over to help us out. She’s been working so hard on a video that you will all be able to see very soon 🙂
Keep and eye out for that!
Always good and love to all.
Matt