Norec participant Josephine Namayi reflects on first month at Inkululeko.
By: Josephine Namayi
My first month at Inkululeko has been a journey like no other. Leaving my country, I looked forward to learning and interacting with new people and new cultures. The zeal I carried within me for community work and working with the youth was unmatched. An aura of hope for a better Joza filled the Inkululeko centre at Ntsika on my first day of work. The faces of the learners were brightened with smiles of a promising future as they took their seats ready for the activities of the day.
Throughout this month, I have come to understand the most pressing need of a township youth as that of the desire to break free from the bonds of poverty. As I interacted with learners in the after school program, I could tell that they were eager to be enlightened. What struck me the most is the fact that learners choose to enrol themselves in the Inkululeko Program and they are not coerced by anyone. They choose to come to the centre on a daily basis at their own accord, they choose to be open about their challenges to the Inkululeko colleagues, they choose Freedom through Education. The Inkululeko classrooms are a safe haven for the learners.
Coupled with that, I continue to appreciate the efforts by Inkululeko to be efficient. One crisis that can not go unnamed in Makhanda is load shedding. The fact that there is a power supply at the centre for the learners to access internet for research and the Olico Project even during load shedding is not something to be overlooked. Learners are guaranteed that they can still be up to date with their assignments and continue sharpening their math skills beyond the limit of load shedding.
They say “change is inevitable”. Inkululeko is a clear indicator of that. The world is taking a shift in how things are managed and conducted and technology is at the core of this. In this one month, I have seen this shift play out in many ways at the Inkululeko centres. From using the Olico site in tutoring students and sharpening their maths skills, to colleagues using online work tools in the daily running of activities in the sites and provision of laptops, tablets and unlimited Wi-Fi for use in education, the organisation continues to embrace technology.
The Makhanda people are friendly and very welcoming. From the moment I stepped on the Makhanda soil, I have felt a strong sense of belonging. Contrary to the busy Nairobi City, everywhere I walk, passers-by would greet me with smiles on their faces. Except for the struggle to pronounce the click sound, I think I am doing well in learning the language to improve these interactions.