Dear Friends,
So many wonderful things are happening at St. Vincent Children’s Home in Mariannhill these days. This past July, eleven high school students began a weekly tutoring program at a local university to master subjects learned in the classroom and help them prepare for continued education. Meanwhile, the younger students have been finishing up the school year at their local school, their last year struggling
in crowded and under-resourced classrooms. Starting in January they will attend a higher quality school with greater academic opportunities. Thanks to your generous support of the Khanyisela Scholarship, high schoolers and primary school-aged children at St. Vincent’s are being given a leg up in their education and their future.
We also recognize a few staffing changes at St. Vincent’s. Sr. Immaculate, while she is missed as principal of St. Vincent’s, was appointed to the important position of Mother Superior of the Precious Blood community in Mariannhill. Because the Precious Blood Sisters oversee St. Vincent’s, Sr. Immaculate is able to maintain her role as a leader and positive force for the children’s home. We also welcome Sr. Maria Gorette, the new principal of St. Vincent’s. A social worker by background, Sr. Maria Gorette is full of spirit, life, and love for the children in her charge. Her passion for social change is contagious, and she’s already shown great support and enthusiasm for the Khanyisela Scholarship. She recently wrote us a very heart-felt note of thanks, which we’ve included on the next page.
None of this – the opportunity to improve the lives of children at St. Vincent’s, the chance to keep productive relationships with the staff who serve them – would be possible without you. Thank you for standing with the Khanyisela Scholarship program for these past three years. You have supported us as we worked with St. Vincent’s to develop the most effective and sustainable ways to meet the needs of their children, even as these ways transformed over time. For your financial support, prayers, words of encouragement, and steady presence, we are sincerely grateful. Below you will find a description of the programs currently being supported by the Khanyisela Scholarship.
In Peace,
Anne Whiting & Rachel Beggs
Current Programs
Primary School Program
Khanyisela’s primary school program addresses challenges and disparities in education starting in the earliest years in school. Currently, younger children at St. Vincent’s attend the neighboring township schools. The children struggle in these impoverished schools with crowded
classrooms, few books, and no extracurricular programs. Through the Khanyisela Scholarship, younger children at St. Vincent’s will begin the January 2012 school year at a higher-quality elementary school in a more privileged community. The scholarship pays not only school fees, but transportation, uniforms, school supplies, and books. By cultivating the children’s highest potential from these early years, we create a solid foundation for future successes in school and in life.
High School Program
High School girls who live at St. Vincent’s are now able to supplement their education with tutoring offered at a local university. The University of KwaZulu-Natal is one of South Africa’s most prestigious universities and is well known for teaching curriculum. St Vincent’s high schoolers visit the university once a week to master academic subjects, gain confidence in learning, and develop critical thinking skills. Through the individual attention they receive, these young women realize their potential, allowing them to overcome the personal, social, and educational vulnerabilities that have beset them for so many years. With solid footing they now begin their journey into adulthood and a future full of promise and hope.
