Corporate Social Investment (CSI) NEWS

MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet funds edible garden

 

Chapel Street Primary School in Woodstock, Cape Town recently celebrated the first harvest from its new edible garden with a harvest table of dishes created by chef and ex-MasterChef contestant, Sue-Ann Allen.

The edible garden, funded by MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet in partnership with Woolworths Financial Services, will yield nearly 10kg of fresh produce every day, benefitting the school's 580 learners, many of whom come to school hungry every day and rely on the meal they get at school. This is the second school food garden funded by MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet and Woolworths Financial Services as part of their continued efforts to support schools in the area and contribute to the communities in which they operate.

The 400m² garden, established in July with the planting of nearly 3,200 seedlings, includes many different varietals of vegetables and herbs - broccoli, spinach, celery, turnips, curly kale, flat kale, beetroot, lettuce, parsley, rosemary, lavender, lemon verbena, basic, cabbage, leeks and many more.

The edible garden will provide a food source to be used within the school's feeding scheme and will be included in the school curriculum wherever possible, not limited to biology. It will also provide a source of extramural activities, such as the garden club at the school.

Great nutritional value

Adding fresh, locally grown produce to the learners' diets has great nutritional value and added to that is the experience of growing their own food. They learn from the garden - planting, growing, harvesting and then eating the food they've grown.

"Learners from many different areas in Cape Town come to school at Chapel Street every day, many of them without a packed lunch and from homes where there are no gardens. This edible garden is our contribution towards giving more learners access to fresh food and a living garden where they can learn how to grow food and take responsibility for the upkeep of the garden. Hopefully, the garden will also spark community and public interest in the school and in urban food gardens," said Pieter Twine, MySchool's GM.

"Chapel Street Primary was identified as an under-resourced school in our area that and has been our flagship school this year. We've been working with them through our participation in the Community of Learning Principals and the Partners for Possibility initiative and wanted to continue supporting them, so they can continue on their journey to be more sustainable and independent. Chapel Street Primary is run by highly committed staff who are motivated to participate in initiatives that will benefit their learners," said Sivi Pillay, CEO of Woolworths Financial Services."

Posted on 2 Nov 2015 09:40

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SKILLS TRAINING NEWS

Anzisha Prize rewards young Nigerian as Africa's top young entrepreneur

 

This year's winner of the $25,000 grand prize in the 5th year of the Anzisha Prize for youth entrepreneurship is Chris Kwekowe (22) of Nigeria, founder of Slatecube, which offers job-relevant skills learning platform and job placement services.

Slatecube has had significant success to date with potential for scale and will serve as an inspiring beacon for other youth interested in entrepreneurship. Kwekowe founded it to increase job access for youth through creating a platform on which they can build job-relevant skills and linking them with virtual internship opportunities that enable them to develop experience. His vision for the venture is to see it grow into a wide-scale provider of relevant job market access, with increasing ability to open doors for job seekers. "I did not believe that I could have won the prize when the competition started. However, I feel confident in what I can achieve now, given the capital and training that I have received through the Anzisha Prize. I congratulate all the other finalists as I believe they were all very impressive and look forward to engaging them as we support each other to grow going forward," he says. 

The first runner up was Fabrice Alomo from Cameroon, founder of My AConnect. The venture aims to increase the ease with which unbanked people in Cameroon transact and gain access to financial services and the second runner up was Mabel Suglo from Ghana, founder of Eco Shoes. Mabel offers an assortment of shoes and accessories that are fashionable and Afro-themed, using recycled materials. Her employee-base is predominantly disabled individuals.

The 2015 Finalists were celebrated at a prestigious invitation-only ceremony on 17 November 2015 at Room Five in Rivonia, Johannesburg. The keynote speaker was Alex Okosi, pioneer of MTV Networks in Africa, a staunch proponent for a truly African voice for youth.

Agriculture Prize

The Anzisha Sector Prize in Agriculture was awarded to Chantal Butare, founder of Kinazi Dairy Cooperative. Her cooperative collects milk from over 3 000 families in her community and processes the milk for sale. She generates income for these families, as well as for ten milk collectors who are in her employ. Her ambition is motivate sufficient capital to mechanize her process and increase scale to create revenue for yet more families in her community. 

"Over the past five years, we have seen the Anzisha Prize evolve from a one-time prize for social entrepreneurship, to an entire community of young, innovative leaders across Africa who have access to comprehensive support and networking opportunities," says Koffi Assouan, Program Manager, Youth Livelihoods at The MasterCard Foundation. "I continue to be impressed by the calibre of youth entrepreneurs that Africa has to offer and congratulate them on their ability to inspire both ourselves and the rest of the continent."

Applications for the next cycle of the Anzisha Prize will open on the 15th of February in 2016. However, nominations for promising youth entrepreneurs are open all year round. For more information, go to www.anzishaprize.org.

Posted on 20 Nov 2015 12:04

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SKILLS TRAINING NEWS

Why you should find a mentor - now

 

Graduates, facing the world of work, often find that this is a challenge, compounded by indecision, options and inexperience.

Wonga Ntshinga

"The best move they can make now is to find a mentor," says Wonga Ntshinga, Senior Head of Programme at The Independent Institute of Education. "What next, is a persistent headache for overwhelmed graduates.

"Although they are probably already looking through newspapers and online career portals searching for a job, one of the best things they can do at this point is to find a mentor in their industry. 

"Throughout life, people rely formally and informally on others to learn, grow and gain experience. Elders often fulfil these roles in communities and families. For career development, graduates need similar support, but from a professional who has already walked the path they are about to embark on.

"The benefits of mentorship are well known and some organisations and companies have formal mentoring programmes. However many do not, and in that instance, it is up to them to find a suitable mentor to guide and support them through good times and bad.

"Mentors are ideally positioned to help young graduates with practical, industry-specific advice - whether it be skills or career options."

Finding a mentor

• Through your higher education institution - "Some work-oriented institutions have mentorship programmes. If the institution has such a programme, enrol as soon as possible, so that you can take the same relationship through with you to the workplace."
• Through professional bodies - "Most industries have professional bodies. Join these bodies through social networks, online programmes and networking events. Subscribe to an industry-specific mentoring programme. Or get involved with the industry community, which will allow you to identify someone with both the knowledge and experience you seek."
• In your new job - "You can also seek a mentor as soon as you find a position. This further offers a great opportunity to stand out during the interview process, by asking the panel whether they have a mentorship programme or similar opportunities."

Mentorship models

Ntshinga says there are a number of ways a mentorship can be conducted, including:

• Regular face-to-face sessions - Meeting face-to-face with your mentor is important, as regular contact can ensure that things are done. Phone calls and e-mails are convenient, but in-person consultations ensure engagement and drive participation more efficiently.
• Online sessions - There are many online tools which can both help you find a professional mentor and enhance the mentorship process.
• Formal or informal sessions - "Some organisations have left mentoring in an informal structure, while other organisations are now taking the approach of measuring the success of these programmes via structured mentorship programmes. Increasingly, companies are formalising mentoring programmes, with policies, mentor screening, training and development."

Mentor and protégé characteristics

"When looking out for a prospective mentor, graduates should find someone senior - at executive level, a consultant or teacher, someone in middle or upper management or in research. 

"You need to find someone who is able to make time for you, who is able to listen and communicate effectively, and above all is willing to share knowledge and motivate you. In short, a mentor is someone who is nurturing, protective, honest and has a balanced perspective."

As a protégé, graduates must also possess a certain skills set.

"You must be positive, have a passion for learning and be willing to take advice. You must be welcoming of constructive criticism in order to gain knowledge from your career mentor."

"The benefit of having a mentor early in one's career cannot be stressed enough. Many of history's most successful people were mentored, including great names such as Martin Luther King Jr, Richard Branson, and Alexander the Great. Even Napoleon Hill, the renowned author of literature on personal success, was mentored. Mentoring provides you with a solid and informed support structure as you take your first steps into the great unknown," concludes Ntshinga.

Posted on 23 Nov 2015 11:37

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Africa Biz: PRIMARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION NEWS

Africa Biz: PRIMARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION NEWS: Adopt-a-School profiles its star matriculants   ISSUED BY:  ADOPT-A-SCHOOL Pupils from schools supported by education NGO Adopt-a-Schoo...

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

UJ faculty positions itself to lead the charge on machines that think

 BY: TOM NEVIN

A new super science venture, the Institute for Intelligent Systems, is being installed in the University of Johannesburg's faculty of engineering. It brings science to Africa at the speed of light as globally interconnected computers join forces to tackle highly complex problems. The institute will draw lecturers, researchers and students primarily from Brics countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA.

©Sawitree Jaiwanglok via 123RF

"Intelligent systems is a couple of steps up from artificial intelligence," says Prof Bhekisipho Twala, newly appointed head of the institute. He is head of the university's department of electrical and electronic engineering science.

Tackling complex problems

Artificial intelligence "applies algorithms to superfast computers to arrive at outcomes in a fraction of the time it would take the human brain to complete the same task. This process becomes even faster and more thorough when you connect an armada of such machines to tackle the most complex and vexing problems known to man. The results are virtually unimaginable," Twala says.

One of the major challenges is to increase the intelligence capacity of computer systems in such a way that they become more "free thinking" and adaptive, allowing them to handle unexpected, changing conditions appropriately. They should also be able to solve complex problems by retrieving the relevant information, by constructing models based on data and by offering capabilities to reason with such models. The operation is the first of its kind on the continent.

"We will confront complex challenges in society and industry where big data is available on the African continent and in Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA," says Twala. "And we'll do that by designing, building and implementing intelligent systems capable of learning and improving their own processes for the economic benefit and sustainable growth of diverse stakeholders."

Big challenges in society and industry - such as fraud prevention, better water resource management and more efficiently controlled traffic flows - could be tackled more effectively with the combination of big data and the intelligent systems designed to analyse and act on them. "By developing African expertise in Africa, we ensure the sustainable development of expertise for our continent's future," says Twala. "What we learn for our region can be applied globally as well."

First steps

The target date for the institute's first-phase implementation is 2018. "By then, the institute should have developed into a fully fledged cognitive computing centre with professional staff and equipment and scientific and academic personnel. We'll also have collaboration in place with a global industry player."

The hunt is on for postgraduates for the first intake of next year followed by undergraduates for courses such as intelligent systems, cloud computing, bio-informatics and computational biology. The institute wants to develop pioneering researchers, engineers, scientists and academics. It is recruiting a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers ranging from computer science, health sciences, management and accounting.

"Africa is a rapidly growing continent, presenting huge opportunities, challenges and complex problems that can be tackled with intelligent systems, but most of this kind of expertise is still developed outside the continent," Twala says. "This is a good time to establish the first world-class institute for systems intelligence and related multidisciplinary research centres and facilities in Africa."

Twala's experience includes a postdoctoral research fellowship at the UK's Brunel University on empirical software engineering and as an adviser at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

His industry experience includes managing the methodology section for a labour force survey re-engineering project for Statistics SA, and consulting on a project at Imperial College London tackling the effect of HIV/AIDS on education systems in developing countries. He has also served as chief technical officer for the ministry of public works and transport in Swaziland.

Scientific momentum

The intelligent systems innovation has been described as "a new wave of embedded and real-time systems highly embedded with massive processing power to perform complex applications. Their pervasiveness is reshaping the real world and how society interacts with digital life." Twala agrees. "Such intelligent systems are creating new opportunities for industry and business, and new experiences for users and consumers. And they're everywhere - in rail, automotive, energy, consumer economics, aerospace, energy, healthcare and telecoms," he says.

The scientific momentum in intelligent systems is irresistible and mounting. "Billions of devices will be connected in the next half-decade and the opportunities offered by what science is now calling the 'internet of things' will have a massive impact on consumers and professional users in all industries." The increased scope of connectivity is spreading from domestic and personal devices to include industrial machines. As a result, the 'internet of things' is morphing into the 'internet of machines' in the industrial world.

"Very little is untouched - robotics, cars, trains and planes and medical equipment are all being swept along in the wave of connectivity opening the door to their data and enabling the emergence of new applications and revenue streams." 

Source: Business Day

PRIMARY & SECONDARY EDUCATION NEWS

Umlazi teen's unlikely road to Harvard

 BY: TASCHICA PILLAY

An Umlazi teenager's desire to succeed and fulfil his mother's dream of his getting a good education has earned him a full four-year scholarship worth more than R4m to one of the world's top universities.

© Jannis Werner – 123RF.com

Since hearing of his acceptance to complete a bachelor of arts and science degree at Harvard in the US, Mfundo Radebe, 18, has hardly been able to sleep.

"I will be studying government and African studies, with a particular focus on African governance. My ultimate goal in life is to make a difference in South Africa. I see this young democracy with so much potential, and I want to contribute to its development. I believe in South Africa," said the Crawford College matriculant.

Radebe applied to Harvard at the beginning of November, and had to submit his Grade 9 to Grade 12 trial exam results.

He achieved eight distinctions, in physics, maths, life sciences, history, accounting, English, Zulu and life orientation.

He said partying was not for him and he preferred debating and chatting to friends about history and politics. The secret of his success, he said, was consistent work.

"At midnight last Friday, thanks to the Boston-Durban time difference, I received an email confirming my acceptance. When I got this news, I started screaming and running around the house."

He was assisted with his application by the EducationUSA programme at the US consulate in Durban.

At a young age Radebe moved to live with his father's family in northern KwaZulu-Natal, where he attended Gingindlovu Primary School.

In Grade 11 he joined Crawford College La Lucia on an academic and compassionate scholarship after writing numerous times to the institution to give him a full scholarship as he could not afford the fees.

"My mom always wanted me to get a good education. I am thankful to my mom and stepdad, Lucky Zwane, for supporting me. If you see an opportunity for yourself, you should push ahead," he said.

In August, Radebe travelled to the UK, where his essay - "Limiting the powers of government: South Africa's Magna Carta" - won top honours in an international essay competition.

"It had an African central theme which underlined the hopes of African people throughout the continent.

"Accountability was a central issue, looking at government owning up to its mistakes and using them to learn and move forward.

"Also, to remember the people they are serving. This lavishness cannot stand in a country where so many people cannot afford bread. The government cannot spend on lavish holiday flights while the people cannot afford bread," said Radebe.

"If we can limit the powers of the government in the implementation of the laws, then the government can be held accountable."

Radebe's mother, Nobuhle Zwane, a nurse, described him as a special child. "I never had to check on his school work because he is always with his school books," she said.

Radebe leaves for the US in August next year. His message to other youngsters is to never feel ashamed of their roots, but to use their background to drive themselves to greater heights.

Source: Sunday Times

Posted on 24 Dec 2015 05:57