Adult learners in Ravensmead were delighted when the Hopeful Leaders Night School was established in the neighbourhood recently.
Hopeful Leaders was established in 2020 after single mom Yumna Alexander completed her matric in her 20s and started her degree in her 30s. In her first year of studies she was teaching computer classes at the Manenberg Library.
“I tried to help as many people as I could, but I realised how many people are not able to use a laptop or a desktop computer. I started another group and we realised that out of every group of ten people we trained only one had matric. People began to ask where they can get their matric, because they were inspired by me, a single mother, who was studying,” says Alexander.
According to Alexander she looked around for help and after a couple of closed doors, she reached out to educators in the community. “Three came on board and we started a survey to find out what the need was. We were thinking maybe 50 or 60 people will join and it ended up being more than 200 people. We officially opened in February 2020,” says Alexander. She says the plans for Ravensmead were hatched two years ago, but they got Lavender Hill off the ground earlier. “Ravensmead is now the ninth night school. From the very beginning it was always my goal to establish night schools all over the Cape Flats and to assist and getting our people out of poverty. It took longer, but we are here. We currently have 39 volunteer teachers assisting and the community was very excited. Notice of registration was given seven days before we started and more than 250 candidates applied. People are still enquiring, but we are closed until August,” she says.
The night school is operational in Manenberg, Hanover Park, Bonteheuwel, Delft, Lavender Hill, Bishop Lavis, Mitchells Plain and Ravensmead.
For just R15 (to help with operational cost) adult learners can enrol for maths literacy, English, Afrikaans, geography, history and religious studies.
