DURBAN NORTH ACADEMY LEARNS MARTIAL ARTS!

On 21 April 2014, the BHP Hearing Impaired learners had a visitor come to the Durban North Academy as part of an initiative to inspire and motivate some of our learners.

Richard Trezise who is himself hearing impaired has had quite a successful life. He studied at Fulton School for the deaf. On completion of his schooling, he went on to study jewelry design and had his own jewelry store in Berea for 8 years. He then decided to go back to his first love which is teaching judo and karate to young children at various schools.

Thirteen BHP learners were coming to the end of their learnership. They had struggled in the beginning of their learnership, but all of them had persevered through determined effort and hard work.  So we  invited Richard, who has overcome obstacles of his own and has shown that through determination, anything is possible.  The learners enjoyed their morning with Richard as they all got to chat with him about their goals and dreams.

Later the group was taken outside where Richard showed the ladies different karate moves, which they enjoyed. He gave us some tips on how to protect ourselves while on the streets and some moves to protect ourselves should we be attacked. Richard offered the ladies free lessons as many showed great interest in the sport.

It was a wonderful day and the ladies really enjoyed it and felt very motivated afterwards.

We  thank Richard so much for his time and effort and encouraging the ladies to follow their dreams.

TEAM BUILDING – THE OPS MANAGEMENT TEAM

On Tuesday, 11 March 2014 the 0perational management team met at King Shaka airport before travelling  to Margate for a three-day team-building and strategy session.

What fun! In-between the individual presentations by the  managers and regional feedback, there was time to consolidate the relationships among team members and build a healthy rivalry into the mix.

Apart from the early morning exercise session on the beach (poorly attended by the way) there were also a few mind games to challenge us:

Ban   ana (banana split)

wHeather (bad spell of weather)

The operational managers presented their regions to the team in the form of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. Ideas were shared and group consensus obtained. This opportunity allowed for the sharing of best practice and standardizing of procedures.

Everyone came away from the Margate experience feeling refreshed and part of an extraordinary team that together as a team – I CAN DO ANYTHING!

FAMILY DAY EVENT PDC

Parc Du Cap had a family day event where parents of learners were invited to spend the day at the academy on 22nd April 2014. Activities included playing board games and dominoes with the facilitators. Classrooms were divided into different game rooms and learners and parents rotated to play the different games.

To keep the day interesting, staff handed out awards to the following learners:

Most improved learner – awarded to Feziwe Bomvu (who unfortunately couldn’t be with us on award day because she was sick. Her certificate and gift was received on her behalf by her facilitator Sandy Zigana).

Best attendance – awarded to one of our deaf learners Siyabonga Njokwana

Best personality – awarded to Xoliswa Myoli.

I Can!  appreciates the effort that these learners make to be in class and to learn and improve academically and socially in all aspects of their lives.

IF OTHERS CAN DO IT, WE CAN ALL DO IT: WE CAN AT I CAN!

We are very sad to say goodbye to the first group of learners exiting the PE academy. Over the last year these learners have taught us so much about life and shared so much of themselves with the staff that it is so sad that they are leaving. They have big dreams and we are thankful to have shared in that for the past year.

Samkela Rala, 18 years:

What has the learnership meant to you and I Can means to you?

“I’m very grateful for the skills and experiences gained through the learnership. I have learnt so much; Module 1, Relationship with the employer taught me how to communicate and interact in the workplace. I am truly thankful for the opportunity and if another learnership would become available then I would not hesitate to sign up.’ I Can! and my facilitators has also taught me presentations skills; I am very shy and in the beginning I was not able to speak in front of my class or other people.

What are you planning to do next and what are your goals?

“I am planning to do a Business Practice learnership next year. I will try to get employment in the meanwhile because the knowledge that I have gained at I Can! has equipped me to do so. I used to have such a low self-esteem but during the past year I have gained a lot of confidence.”

 

Luzuko Naliti, 21 years: 

What has the learnership meant to you and I Can! means to you?

The learnership has changed my life because now I have a positive attitude towards life.  I have learnt and engaged in good practice and this will help me in the long run.

What are you planning to do next and what are your goals?

My goal is to study further and gain more knowledge. At the moment my learnership is ending but hopefully I will find a way of living. I have learned so many good things such as dealing with the module called relationship with the employer, this has helped me to be more articulate. Another module is called Personal Finance, this module also helped my family and friends. This assisted them in ensuring they do not end up in debt by means of budgeting. Rather than make debt they should try saving. I have told people that they should save for rainy days maybe they will have serious financial problems.

I Can! wishes Samke and Luzuko and the 17 other learners who will finish this month a prosperous future. May they continue to grow into the beautiful men and women they have become.

 

1. a.   CAPE TOWN GRADUATION:

Our Cape Town Domestic Services Learners have been honoured at their graduation on  March 25 held at the Bellville Civic Theatre.  It was a  special  occasion for our graduating  learners, all kitted out and ready to receive their recognition. Parents and some clients  were invited to enjoy being part of this special day.

79 of our graduates received Certificates of Completion with delight and pride in their achievements and hard work. The parents of  graduates were as proud in their role as  facilitators of the learner’s accomplishments. The graduates and some current learners at the Academy, showcased a beautiful song and dance routine to entertain  guests.

We wish our graduates the very best on their endeavours and trust they will be able to utilise their newfound skills and knowledge in their own lives and continue to strive to achieve success in all they set out to do.

Please visit our new Khulisani website at www.khulisani.co.za, featuring information on our existing projects as well as ideas on how companies can earn five bonus points on their BBBEE scorecard by supporting Khulisani through enterprise development.

Khulisani was founded in 2012 and is the sister company of I Can! (www.ican-sa.co.za). It is their mission and focus to find employment for the qualified I Can! learners that have completed their qualification. Our ‘Learn to Earn’ program is a great scheme which allows learners with a disability the opportunity of employment, while learning new skills.

Through the initiative of Enterprise Development, organizations are able to achieve transformation and also create opportunities for persons with intellectual and physical disabilities.

Visit the Khulisani website and help your company achieve transformation through enterprise development and give People with Disabilities the opportunity to ‘Learn to Earn’.

 

Sello Frans Tlomotsana was born on May 16, 1982. He attended primary school and high school in Limpopo province in the district of Capricorn Zebediela. Due to an unfortunate incident, Sello lost his eye sight in 2000.

“It was so hard for me to adapt to the situation that I was going through. As time went by I realised that life was worth fighting for and I accepted who I am and believed in myself that I will make it.”

In 2012 he continued his studies in ICT at DVG MEDIA TRAINING on a full time basis. At the same time he was studying ICT (NQF Level 5) at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) at the Polokwane branch on a part time basis.

“Regardless of how hard it was to live with my disability, at the end I made it! Now, I am a happy man and I feel completed. Hopefully I will be able to secure a permanent position after my studies with Regiment Capital, thanks to the I Can! partnership with PMI.”

As an act of solidarity with people around the world having Down syndrome, the staff of Durban North academy decided to support the Down Syndrome International initiative by wearing odd socks.  World Down Syndrome Day was started  on March 21, 2006 and is celebrated annually.
The aim of the day is to raise awareness and understanding of a condition which affects approximately 1 in 800 births worldwide, and to promote the inherent rights of persons with this syndrome so that those affected can enjoy full and dignified lives and be active participants in their communities and society.
Down syndrome is a genetic condition that causes delays in physical and intellectual development. Individuals with Down syndrome have 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. It is the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder. Down syndrome is not related to race, nationality, religion or socioeconomic status.
Why odd socks then?
In the words of Director, Ali Smeeton: “They may be odd, but they are still socks!”
The KZN Academies fully supported wearing mismatched socks on the March 24 (delayed because of a public holiday on the 21st).

I Can! Parc du Cap interviewed learners to find out what they know and understand about Human Rights day, celebrated annually on  March 21 in South Africa.

This is what Phatheka Mgqolozana, one of our deaf learners, had to say about Human Rights.

On March 21, 1960 a crowd of about 5000-7000 black protesters marched to the police station in Sharpeville in Transvaal in the Gauteng Province. Police opened fire on the protesters killing 69 people. Sources still disagree about the crowd’s behavior: Some say they were quiet and peaceful and some say they were hurling stones at the police and that the shooting started then. But I understand one thing about that day, 69 people were killed; children were left without parents and parents without kids. Today 21 March is celebrated as a public holiday in South Africa, in honor of Human Rights and to commemorate the Sharpeville Massacre. Some of the rights that those people died for are equality to all, right to education and the right to Social Welfare to name a few.

This is what some of our other learners had to say about the Human Rights day.

Human Rights day is an important day to the people of South Africa. It started on March 21, 1960. The apartheid government had a law that all black people had to carry passes as permission that they can be wherever they are. These documents served as reference books which had to be carried by black people wherever they went and if they failed to produce these documents on demand by the police, it was taken as a punishable offence. The PAC (Pan African Congress) proposed an anti-pass campaign to start on March 21, 1960. African men who were taking part in the campaign were to go without their pass books and present themselves to the apartheid government police. A confrontation with the police took place at the Sharpeville police station which lead to 69 being killed and 180 wounded in Sharpeville alone. Hence this day was dubbed the Sharpeville massacre.  Since then this day in South Africa was marked as Human Rights day in remembrance of those killed.