A R20 million injection for Cape Winelands children
Afrikaans
Graff Diamonds’ charitable initiative, For Africa’s Children Every Time (FACET), is delighted to announce the expansion of the Graff Mobile Learning Centre fleet in the heart of South Africa’s Cape winelands.
In partnership with the Pebbles Project, three additional mobile units will be joining the mobile library and computer lab which have been in operation since September 2014.
In their partnership thus far, the Pebbles Project has received financial support from the FACET Foundation to the amount of R20 million.
Please let me know if I can assist with additional information or interview requests with Delaire Graff’ Estate’s CEO Johann Laubser.
Attached a photo of the mobile learning Centre Fleet, for additional photographs, click on: https://we.tl/JzNQPD4kxq
FACET FOUNDATION EXPANDS THE FLEET OF MOBILE GRAFF LEARNING CENTRES
A NEW WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CAPE WINELANDS
Graff Diamonds’ charitable initiative, For Africa’s Children Every Time (FACET), is delighted to announce the expansion of the Graff Mobile Learning Centre fleet in the heart of South Africa’s Cape winelands.
In partnership with the Pebbles Project, three additional mobile units will be joining the mobile library and computer lab which have been in operation since September 2014. Founder and director of the Pebbles Project, Sophia Warner, explains, “The three new Mobile Learning Centres are literally ‘opportunities on wheels’. They’ve taken our after-school programme to a whole new level and will have an even greater impact within the community.”
The centres provide much needed after-school support for scholars between the ages of 6 to 18 years whom attend local public schools throughout the Cape Winelands region from Stellenbosch Valley, home to Delaire Graff Estate, to Citrusdal in the Cederberg Mountains. The FACET Mobile Learning Centres have grown to include 2 computer labs, 2 travelling libraries and a multi-purpose vehicle for more remote areas.
Being able to travel directly to these communities has resulted in the inspiring effects being felt from within the communities themselves. Currently, the units assist 522 students ensuring they attain the best quality educational care and mentorship.
Through a range of exciting strategies and proactive development initiatives, learners improve basic mathematics, literacy and computer related skills. Experienced educational specialists have been brought on board to safeguard the future of the children in the region.
The creation of a fertile learning environment in which each individual learner may succeed and grow has been central to the project. Using tested methods of assessment, each learner’s accomplishments are continuously evaluated and their path to academic achievement is designed and adjusted to ensure their personal success. Facility staff members have monthly training sessions on the different programmes resulting in an ever evolving dynamic support structure.
Fitted with cutting-edge, first-world technology and featuring an abundant collection of multi-lingual literature otherwise unattainable in these regions, the centres are a source of great encouragement for the individuals in the areas they reach. “The van will help us have a better future,” enthuses 11-year-old Nowhen Piedt. Cultivating a passion for learning and instilling a love of books from a young age is fostering an appetite for education which carries through the school years and beyond.
The challenges of poverty, alcoholism and increasing school drop-out rates drive the stagnation of education in these areas. The tailor-made FACET Mobile Learning Centres are an effort to turn the wheels of change, fulfilling an acute need among the region’s disadvantaged youth and nurturing the community.
In their partnership thus far, the Pebbles Project has received financial support from the FACET Foundation to the amount of R20 million.
Laurence Graff is delighted with the success of the Mobile Learning Centres, and to be part of bringing change to these communities. ‘It’s a great privilege to be involved in such a wonderful initiative,’ he says. ‘For many growing up in South Africa’s winelands, computers and books are luxuries to which they simply don’t have access. Through the valuable work of FACET and the Pebbles Project, this much-needed equipment provides these children with additional education and the opportunity to make positive life choices. Bringing hope and aiding young people in realising their ambitions is what giving back is all about – helping dreams become reality.’
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Facet Foundation brei hul vloot Mobiele Graff Leersentrus uit.
‘n Splinternuwe geleentheid vir die Kaapse Wynlande
Graff Diamonds se welsynsinisiatief, For Africa’s Children Every Time (FACET), is trots om ‘n nuwe uitbreiding van die Graff Mobiele Leersentrum-vloot in die hartjie van die Kaapse Wynlande aan te kondig.
In samewerking met die Pebbles Project sal drie addisionele mobiele biblioteke en rekenaarsentrums by die organisasie aansluit. Dié organisasie is reeds sedert September 2014 aktief in dié omgewing. Die stigter en direkteur van die Pebbles Project, Sophia Warner, sê: “Die drie nuwe mobiele leersentrums is letterlik ‘n ‘geleentheid op wiele’. Dit het waarlik ons naskoolse program na ‘n hele nuwe vlak opgestoot en sal selfs ‘n groter impak op die plaaslike gemeenskap maak.”
Die sentrums vervul ‘n dringende behoefte vir naskoolse ondersteuning aan skoliere tussen die ouderdom van 6 en 18 jaar wat openbare skole regdeur die Kaapse Wynlande bywoon, vanaf die Stellenbosch-vallei, die tuiste van Delaire Graff-landgoed, tot in Citrusdal in die Sederberge. Die FACET Mobiele Leersentrums het gegroei om 2 rekenaarlaboratoriums, 2 mobiele biblioteke en ‘n meerdoelige voertuig vir verder afgeleë gebiede in te sluit.
Met toegang tot direk in die gemeenskappe, word die gemeenskappe self oor geïnspireer. Tans help die eenhede met die ondersteuning van 522 leerders en verseker dat hul die bes moontlike opvoeding, ondersteuning en mentorskap ontvang.
Met ‘n reeks opwindende stategieë en proaktriewe ontwikkelingsinisiatiewe, kan leerders hul basiese wiskunde, geletterdheid en rekenaarverwante vaardighede ‘n hupstoot gee. Ervare onderwysspesialiste is aan boord om te verseker dat die toekoms van die kinders in die omgewing nie agterweë bly nie.
Die skep van ‘n vrugbare leeromgewing waar elke individuele leerder kan groei en uitstyg is die sentrale fokuspunt van die projek. Deur die gebruik van getoetste metodes vir die beoordeling, word elke leerder se welslae op ‘n aanhoudende basis geëvalueer en hul akademiese loopbaan word ontwerp en aangepas om elkeen se individuele sukses te verseker. Die fasiliteit se personeel ondergaan ook maandelikse opleidingsessies in die verskillende programme om ‘n altyd veranderende, dinamiese ondersteuningstruktuur te verseker.
Elkeen van die eenhede is toegerus met die mees moderne, eerste wêreldse tegnologie met ‘n oorvloedige versameling veeltalige literatuur wat anders heeltemal onbereikbaar is in hierdie streke. Die sentrums is dus ‘n groot aanmoediging vir individue in die areas wat die sentrums bereik. “Die bussies sal help om ons ‘n beter toekoms te bied,” sê Nowhen Piedt, ‘n 11-jarige leerder. Dit kultiveer ‘n passie vir studie en vestig ‘n liefde vir boeke vanaf ‘n jong ouderdom, wat bydra tot ‘n hongerte vir opvoeding wat dan regdeur die leerders se skooljare en verdere studies lei.
Die uitdagings van armoede, alkoholisme en ‘n groeiende getal in skoolverlaters dra by tot die stagnering van opvoeding in dié gebiede. Die pasgemaakte FACET Mobiele Leersentrums is ‘n poging om verandering teweeg te bring en vervul ‘n akute nood onder dié gemeenskappe se benadeelde jeug en dra by tot die koester van die gemeenskap.
Die vennootskap het tot op hede gelei tot finansiële ondersteuning vir die Pebbles Project van om en by R20 miljoen vanaf FACET.
Laurence Graff is in die wolke met die sukses wat die mobiele leersentrums tot dusver tot stand gebring het en veral om deel te wees van die verandering in dié gemeenskappe. “Dit ‘n ongelooflike voorreg om deel te wees van so ‘n wonderlike inisiatief,” sê hy. “Vir baie mense wat in die Suid-Afrikaanse wynlande groot word, is rekenaars en boeke luukshede waartoe hul net nie toegang het nie. Deur FACET en die Pebbles Project se onskatbare werk, word daar in hierdie dringende behoefte voorsien en het die kinders toegang tot ekstra leermiddels en die geleentheid om positiewe lewenskeuses te maak. Dit bring hoop en help jong mense om hul ambisies na te streef, en dít is waaroor dit alles gaan – om te help om drome ‘n werklikheid te maak!”