Short description

Providing interest free loans to members of the South African Jewish Community to enable them to reach the point of self-sustainability. Through tutoring, enrichment and support, SAEP gives impoverished learners the tools to reach their potential and uplift their communities.

Need

Much still has to be done to ensure access to education and to tackle issues relating to the quality of the current education system. Poverty remains a significant barrier to education, with children in the poorest households being nearly three times less likely to complete secondary schooling than children in the richest households.

Philippi is a historically disadvantaged, under-resourced community in dire need of transformation and redress. It is a community which is severely impoverished, with the majority of residents living in informal wood and iron structures, typically without electricity or running water. Nearly half of the working-age population is unemployed, and only 32% of the population (20 years and older) has completed secondary school (Grade 12) or higher). Many children are left unattended while their parents work or search for work, and daycare facilities are often run by untrained teachers, with little focus on cognitive development.

Students in Philippi are likely to join the 2.6 million youth between the age of 18 – 25 in South Africa not working or studying, and contribute to the 24% unemployment rate of the country. Lack of information, networks and opportunities trap many into continued poverty and under-productivity, further fuelling the cycle of poverty in the community.

Overview

SAEP is a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town. They run academic, enrichment and personal development programmes for children, youth and education providers in Cape Town’s under-resourced black townships. The majority of SAEP’s work takes place in impoverished communities in Philippi.

Its mission is to empower those who are neglected by the education system. Through tutoring, enrichment and support, the organisation gives disadvantaged learners tools to reach their potential and uplift their communities.  SAEP’s strategy is based on a “cradle to career” philosophy. Working in partnership with teachers, principals, parents and learners, it responds to critical needs in South Africa’s education landscape with targeted, holistic interventions.

SAEP originally focused on environmental education and awareness for high school learners, and launched its first after-school enrichment programmes in Philippi Township in 1998. Over time, in response to beneficiary requests and community needs, its focus has evolved to promote academic and personal development more broadly at all levels of educational development.

To achieve its mission, SAEP offers several education support programmes, which includes:

    • Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme: SAEP addresses the need for quality ECD programmes in township communities through partnerships with and support for 10 educare centres in Phillipi.
    • High School programme: SAEP works with students in under-performing township high schools through a variety of academic and enrichment programmes such as:
      • Hope Scholars: The programme invest in an intensive, holistic programme for a select group of promising students, starting in Grade 8 and following them throughout their high school careers. The academic focus is on maths, the sciences, and English. The goal is to prepare the learners, academically and personally, for success at university and beyond.
      • ADT Teach Programme: SAEP collaborated with ADT Security to launch their latest project – ADT Teach. ADT Teach is a computer education programme designed to provide learners with the IT skills necessary for the job market and their tertiary studies.
      • SAEP’s Arts Outreach Programme: The programme works with six secondary schools in Philippi to provide arts workshops in a variety of artistic disciplines, including visual art, music, dance, drama, photography, creative writing, and film.
      • Environmental Education Programme: Raises environmental awareness among township youth and empowers them to improve their surroundings.
      • Bridging Year End programme: In 2003, SAEP launched a bridging year internship to provide an intensive skill-enhancement and leadership programme to recent township graduates as preparation for tertiary study, jobs and their professions.
      • Tertiary Support programme: SAEP’s Tertiary Support Programme helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds to thrive in and graduate from higher education by providing holistic support throughout their studies.

What we like about this organisation

      • The organisation has a holistic approach, starting their intervention from an ECD stage up until tertiary education. The organisation has an in-house social worker who provides additional assistance to young people who need it.
      • SAEP has a qualified management team and a good tracking and data managing system where all financial and student information are kept, easily available to management.

What difference can your money make?

      • R10 000 will be used to take high school students on hikes or enriching educational excursions during each of the four terms of the school year.
      • R250 000 will be used to provide developmental support, staff training, nutritious meals, and infrastructure improvement at three early childhood development centres in Philippi township or another impoverished community in the Cape Flats.
      • R750 000 will be used to provide psycho-social counselling, financial and material support and mentorship each year to over 100 able and highly motivated tertiary students from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them succeed academically and socially at university.

Volunteering opportunities

Very specific volunteers are needed for different projects; a detailed list can be obtained from SAEP.