Bringing Outside Organizations to Monwabisi Park

Bringing Outside Organizations to Monwabisi Park 

False Bay College

The implementation of objective started with extensive online searches conducted by our team. We narrowed down a list of possible, but relevant programs that we felt would be most beneficial to the informal settlements. During these searches, we located a college extremely close to the Indlovu Project called False Bay College. After verifying the location during one of the trips to the settlement we sent several emails to the college to arrange a meeting. Terry and Kealeboga went to the meeting with Douglas Sias, coordinator of MOT at False Bay College, and met with him about the possibilities for the Monwabisi Park community. During that meeting Douglas mentioned the MOT program as well as the education programs offered at False Bay College.

MOT Program

 The MOT program  is designed to support and train younger (age 18-30) people to support strong character traits and develop leadership skills. Mister Sias informed us of the requirements that must met before the program could be implemented: proof of willing people to take the class and the background of Shaster. We wrote the proposal to conduct the program in the actual Indlovu Project compound and submitted it to False Bay College.  We hope for approval for the program to start early in 2010.

Assessment Tests

While at False Bay College, we enquired about continuing education for residents of Monwabisi Park. We were told that the prospective students needed to be present to learn about the opportunities and give their own credentials. Later, Nodumo explained that finishing education was a source of confusion for some community members. They did not know where they could go or the financial aid opportunities offered. We contacted False Bay College again to schedule information sessions and co-researchers gathered as many interested community members as they could find. Matt, Kealeboga and the potential students went to the meeting later that week. We arrived with a group of thirteen people interested in enrolling. Although the college representative was not expecting us due to a communications mix-up, he quickly presented the colleges vision and outlined the different tracks that students could follow. Regardless of the students previous education above grade 10, the college program is a four year trade program, which turned off some of the potential students. At the end of the meeting he told us that assessment tests were required before the students could enroll. We scheduled the required assessment tests and scholarship paperwork for the community members the next week. All of them were interested. Later that day, we found out more people from Monwabisi Park were  interested in education at False Bay College as well. We called the college and arranged the same introduction program the following day, ending with the same opportunity to sign up for assessment tests.