The first week of work in South Africa was spent at Shumayela High School, just south of Durban.
A partner of Star for Life had sponsored 45 brand new laptops for the school, and our mission was to teach 11th grade students basic computer skills. This grade was chosen because it is in 11th grade that students apply to university, and the goal of the week was to prepare the students for the more computer-based teaching at university. The sessions we held covered everything from creating simple business calculations in Excel to writing CVs.
Our base for the week was in Warner Beach (Kingsburgh), about 30 minutes from the school. The workdays were intense but incredibly rewarding. The meetings with the students and teachers at Shumayela were not only educational for them—but also for us.
We take with us many fond memories from the week spent with the students. Their appreciation, and that of the school staff, for the computers and the teaching was truly palpable, and we are all happy and proud of the opportunity to make a difference. A highlight of the week was the ceremony where the computers were handed over. The event highlighted the importance of the donation for both the students and the school itself.
Now we are heading to Hluhluwe for another week of teaching and to hand over more computers. We are very much looking forward to meeting more students and continuing to teach!
