Christel House SA Blog

For Ashwin Schaffold (16) and Nontando Bongi (17), Grade 11 learners at Christel House School in Cape Town, next year holds special promise. Not only will they be among the first Grade 12 class to graduate from the young school that caters exclusively for disadvantaged children in Cape Town, but they will also be the first to enjoy its spectacular new location.

Since its foundation in 2002, Christel House has operated from cramped premises in Athlone, but now it is spreading its wings and moving to a brand new site – currently under construction in Swallowcliffe, Ottery.

If all goes according to plan, Ashwin and Nontando will be opening their first book for 2009 in a brand new classroom with high ceilings and inspirational mountain views. But while the costs of the R30-million project have been covered by the School’s founder Christel de Haan, the School has to raise R7-million of the money locally – as part of the deal – so that they can help make these learners’ Grade 12 year one to remember.

“Our goal now is to form strategic partnerships with corporate companies in Cape Town and South Africa to complete the building of the school on time,” says Sharon Williams, Director of Development and Marketing at the School.

According to Williams, the school is being built on eight hectares of land which the City of Cape Town made available and will be able to accommodate 720 pupils. It is the result of a partnership between Christel House, the Ottery Civic Association and Jakoet & Associates – together they have all invested vast amounts of time, effort, money and love in the project because they all believe in the work that Christel House is doing.

“Christel House South Africa (CHSA) is part of the global Christel House network – a non-profit organisation that does extraordinary work in helping to break the cycle of poverty by transforming children and their communities through education,” explains Williams. “Essentially an independent school for children from impoverished families, the school recruits learners from some of Cape Town’s poorest communities and gives them access to the kind of education and development that all children need!”

The new building will encompass both primary and secondary learning. Furthermore, it will include an impressive multipurpose hall, multimedia centre, biology, science, mathematics and technology laboratories as well as music, arts and dance studios, a huge sports field for the children and a nature area.

Elspeth Donovan, the Chairperson of the Christel House Board explains the reason for the R30-million undertaking.

“In the last few years our current location in Athlone has become too cramped. Even with the present number of children, and not taking into account new enrolments, we are forced to squeeze too many children into one classroom,” says Donovan. “This severely compromises our ability to deliver a quality education.”

The Christel House vision is about empowering children through longitudinal work that requires tremendous commitment and long-term involvement by dedicated professionals.

Donovan explains that the new school will make these goals so much easier for the organisation to achieve and will provide an opportunity to showcase a model of education that achieves the intended result of providing a “pipeline” of learners ready for tertiary education.

“Our unique model demonstrates in action what it takes to break the cycle of poverty. Quality education through quality teaching combined with adequate nutrition, access to primary health care, support from a social worker and engagement of the learners’ families, all contribute to the development of well-rounded young South Africans,” says Donovan.

Project Manager on the site – Phouzaan Siebritz – adds that the unique facilities that are being included in the school will go a long way to creating a holistic educational and development experience for the children.

“This school is going to have quite distinctive features in that it will provide for all round practical learning, including science laboratories, music rooms and a nature area. Children will also be able to express themselves creatively through art disciplines that will also be taught - some for the very first time in their lives,” explains Siebritz.

Another impressive feature of the new school will be its 24-hour learning centre for the community.

“The e-learning centre will be open for all local people both young and old and there will also be training programmes in place to help individuals develop this much-needed skill.

“The project has also employed many people from the surrounding community and provided them with life-long skills in building proficiencies that will serve them well in future,” says Siebritz.

With only three months left to finish construction and fully facilitate the school, Christel House and partners are appealing to all corporates – and individuals – to come on board as partners to help them lay the last R 7 million of bricks.

Ashwin and Nontando can hardly wait for the New Year to come. From Mannenberg and Langa respectively, these learners would never have believed that they would be given such a wonderful opportunity. They are both expected to graduate with first class results next year – thanks to the work of Christel House.

“I see this as a new beginning for me,” says Nontando. “I know this new school will bring new opportunities that will enrich my life, looking at the building now, so close to being done makes me extremely excited. I cannot wait to get started.”