“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
The quote was made famous by former statesman Nelson Mandela but is having a practical application in the lives of hundreds of disadvantaged Nelson Mandela Bay pupils through the unwavering efforts of Masinyusane.
And it is for that reason the nonprofit organisation has claimed the top honours in the education category of the prestigious The Herald Citizens of the Year Awards, supported by Nelson Mandela University.
The NPO’s model of attempting to improve literacy rates and tackling unemployment has seen it grow exponentially since its establishment in 2008.
It ropes in unemployed young people to teach the little ones how to read, write and comprehend through various programmes.
The programme is busy with the training of a new crop of literacy teachers in Buffalo City municipality where it will expand to next .
Masinyusane director Zama Zulu, who joined in 2020, said, during his tenure, the NPO had grown from assisting 15 early childhood development centres and seven primary schools to working with almost all of the district’s 150 quintile one schools.
“Since 2008, the focus was a few high school interventions and we have since changed to foundation phase with a focus on ages three to 10, as we realised some of the problems were just too big to fix at high school level.
“We get a lot of support from private and public funders.
“We find unemployed youth to address literacy programmes so it feeds into two major issues.”
He said while the work was often challenging and thankless, the progress of the pupils was the biggest reward.
“It is strenuous and there is a lot of stress but it comes with a great sense of achievement.
“We have reached a cycle now where children who were on the programme [many years ago] are now working in the programme as literacy teachers. It is beautiful.”
The organisation was competing with hundreds of entries across eight categories, that saw a panel of esteemed judges whittle down the nominations to find the category winners, who will be celebrated during a glitzy honorary gala awards ceremony on September 19 at the Sun Boardwalk Convention Centre.
The respective categories include: sports, arts and culture, business/entrepreneur, education, community, civil society, gender based violence, as well as the Standard Bank youth category known as “Make your Mark”.
The latter is the event’s gold sponsors’ youth initiative to support young change-makers and social innovators who are making an impact in their communities.
Zulu said to be named as the category winner was both a happy and humbling experience.
“It means everything.
“You have no idea what it takes to open doors for support and this is exactly the type of recognition that assists.
“It will be an additional tool to continue this initiative as we don’t know what doors it will open.
“When you are on the ground and see the magnitude of the problem and you think we are not doing enough — getting this type of encouragement makes you sit back and take stock.
“You are able to see the impact we as a team are making and it means the world to be recognised for it.”
For any queries or to book a spot at the gala awards, please contact The Herald marketing manager, Berna Ulay-Walters on ulayb@theherald.co.za.
The event sponsors are: Co-title sponsors: Nelson Mandela University; Gold sponsor: Standard Bank; Silver Sponsor: SPAR; Bronze sponsor: Continental Tyre SA; Support partners: Vodacom, Three Peaks Wine and JTC Decor Events, Capsicum Culinary Studio; and venue sponsors: Sun Boardwalk.
The Herald
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