BUILD UP KIDS
A world where income and background are no longer a barrier to opportunity for young people.
ABOUT BUILD UP KIDS
Build Up Kids is a scholarship program that funds school tuition for talented children from Lavender Hill to attend better-resourced high schools. Lavender Hill is home to an abundance of potential. Our goal is to eliminate the financial burden of a quality education for those willing to work towards it.
Poor school performance reinforces inequality
The odds are heavily stacked against those from low income families because the quality of public schooling is highly variable. Grade 8 students attending fee-charging schools are up to 4 times more likely to qualify for university than those attending no-fee schools (Sunday Times South Africa)
Low income
59% of Lavender Hill households have a monthly income of R3,200 or less. Muizenberg High School costs over R15,000 each year to attend. (2011 Census) Therefore income is the number 1 reason why young people from Lavender Hill cannot attend better resourced schools.
Lack of Higher Education Role Models:
Not many young people living in townships dream of university, because not many people around these areas have gone to University. Only 1% of those aged 20 years and older have higher education (2011 Census)
Volatile environment
Many children experience a broken journey through school, interrupted by irregular attendance, absent teachers, teenage pregnancy and school-related abuse and violence (Unicef). Only 19% of those aged 20 years and older have completed Grade 12 or higher. (2011 Census)
Gang Activity
Lavender Hill is notorious for Gang violence. Many of the students we work with emphasize the difficulty studying in an environment with regular gang activity.
THE APPROACH OF BUILD UP KIDS
We aim to break the cycle of poverty, so that young people can pursue education in better resourced high schools, have the opportunity to attend university, pursue further training or obtain and maintain a good job.
Financial Support
To overcome the barrier of low income, Build up Kids funds school tuition, uniforms, learning materials, and transport to school.
Tutoring and Mentoring
We provide mentoring, leadership training and focus groups for the young people on our scholarship program to ensure that the children achieve their goals and fulfill their potential.
Safe & Stable Environment
Through Build up Kids, we are enabling children with huge potential to study in a safe and stable environment free of crime and gang violence.
Transport
The best schools are not in and around the Townships. Therefore, we make sure that the kids have a save way to school by providing transport from home to school in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon with our own school bus.
BUILD UP KIDS IN NUMBERS
15
STUDENTS
3
PARTNER SCHOOLS
R 130.000
FUNDS NEEDED PER YEAR
86%
GIRLS
MONTHLY
LIFE SKILLS WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING SESSIONS