UKZN graduate continues on path to uplift pupils in the INK area
Durban – A University of KwaZulu-Natal graduate in a bid to address the challenge of satisfactory progress made by school children in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu (INK) area has embarked on a donation drive through his non-profit organisation.
Cebo Mzinyane, a Bsc Electronics Engineering graduate and the founder of NPO Monarkhia Academy said the spatial location of the focused areas proves that poverty is one key challenge that negates the progress of the children.
“School amenities are a challenge to most of the children and youth of the area. Therefore, the organisation enforced a donation drive for stationery and any assistance that will improve the academic status of the vulnerable members within the area. This also includes uniforms and bursaries to make the dreams of the people a success. The drive will run for the whole of February”.
The academy offers soccer, drama, filming and exhibitions programmes and with its social development division mentorship, life skills with an anti-drug and anti-crime stance, as well as social cohesion during team talks after training and games.
Mzinyane said that the donation drive was in celebration of the NPO’s first anniversary on January 31.
“To celebrate this milestone we saw it fit to start this drive and more especially now because we have a school that we are working closely with officially in the area. We are yet to sign a memorandum of understanding with the school, Phikiswayo Primary School, by the end of February.”
Explaining how the partnership with the school came to be, Mzinyane said the NPO approached the school and presented the NPO’s plan to the school which approved it.
“We will be helping facilitate the school’s sport and recreation programmes.”
He said the vision with the donation drive was to get stationery and sports equipment that the academy could use.
“So far we have had some donations, we have had one person donate funds into the academy’s bank account and we have had some stationery as well.”
Mzinyane said the plan was to have MOUs with more schools in a bid to have children in schools in the INK area realise their full potential through sports as well as academia.
“Traditionally in township schools, teachers are focused on teaching and also make time for sport in schools where this exists. As an academy, we want to alleviate some of the pressure off teachers where we are recruiting coaches willing to volunteer at schools, we train these coaches and manage them in teaching them how to work with children.”
He said the plan this year was to identify children that were performing better than others academically at the primary school they were working with and following that peer study groups would be initiated.
Mzinyane added that each school that the academy would be working with would get tailor-made assistance based on its individual challenges and programmes implemented through the academy would be to resolve the challenges.
“Through the drive, we are hoping to use the stationery during these peer study sessions, so that during these sessions everything the children need is there. The academy is for the community and its growth will benefit the INK community as it grows to adopt more schools over time.”
Mzinyane said the academy’s programmes being implemented at Phikiswayo would be monitored and evaluated on effectiveness before moving on to the next school.
Anyone wishing to get involved can email info@monarkhia.academy or visit the academy’s website www.monarkhia.academy
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