ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
Supporting 5-12th Grade Education
Since 2007, our Girls' Scholarship Program (GSP) has provided support to girls in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal South Africa. These girls are top achievers in grades 5-7 at eSibonsiweni Primary School and grades 8-12 at nearby Mandlemfundo High School in the impoverished rural community of Esicabazini. Our program provides material support, local mentoring, tutoring, assistance preparing for matriculation exams and university applications, and opportunities for job training and connecting with urban mentors and the American sponsor community at Mark Day School in San Rafael, California.
College and University Support
Since 2014, we have worked closely with our partner Kliptown Youth Program based in Johannesburg to guide our 12th graders in the process of applying and transitioning to university, including assistance with financial aid documents, registration, and residence logistics. Once they enroll, we continue our mentorship of these young women as they pursue their tertiary studies. In 2019, ten of our graduates are currently attending university in Johannesburg and Durban.
Support for Vocational Education
In a new development for our program, we are working with Kliptown Youth Program and other potential partners to identify vocational opportunities for our high school graduates who are unable to pursue a university or college degree. In 2018-19, two of our graduates have participated in a one-year program in hospitality services at Richfield Institute of Technology. We continue to seek additional options for other graduates to pursue in the future.