Durban — A recent stationery drive by an NPO founded by a University of KwaZulu-Natal graduate has also seen services including that of a psychologist being offered to the organisation operating in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu area in a bid to have children at schools realise their full potential through sports as well as academia.
Cebo Mzinyane, a BSc Electronics Engineering graduate and operational officer of Monarkhia Academy, said they also had individuals offer services of coaching as well.
The academy offers soccer, drama, film and exhibitions programmes, social development division mentorship, life skills with an anti-drug and anti-crime focus, as well as social cohesion talks.
The drive was in celebration of the NPO’s one-year anniversary and ran through the month of February.
The NPO has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Phikiswayo Primary School that would see its programmes being implemented.
School principal TLM Mchunu said having signed the MOU with the academy not only meant the betterment of the children at the school but the community as a whole, in turn creating a brighter future for pupils from this area.
“This agreement also goes to show and teach the community that education is a societal issue; it not only rests on the shoulders of the school principal showing that schools belong to communities.”
Pupil Anele Dlangezwa said she was glad that through the academy they would become exposed to various types of sports.
Sibonisi Zuma, an executive officer, said the NPO, was looking forward to working with the school, having secured a one-year contract with it. “We’re looking forward to also having the contract renewed. The most important people in this agreement are the pupils, who will benefit from the NPO’s programmes.
“One of our visions is to close the gap between the school, learners and parents because we believe that the school is in the community and we are trying to fill that gap ...”
He said their programmes included working with teachers and parents as much as they did with pupils.
“We have programmes that include all of them because we want them to be part of the upbringing of learners as well as the community at large including any professionals in the community. Our mandate is to see children grow in all spheres of life, and in doing so we need all these people involved,” said Zuma.
He said their plans included academic assistance for pupils which entailed mentorship as well as emotional and spiritual growth.
“We have moral regeneration programmes for such, the main purpose being to raise children in a holistic manner. The school will start assisting in the general sports codes such as soccer and netball, but our plan is to introduce other sports as well. The school has told us that they are interested in getting involved in hockey, so we are going to have coaches or mentors to assist with this.”
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