During 2005 SAEP has hosted ten "gap year" interns, recent matriculants from township high schools who are taking a year to prepare themselves for tertiary education or learnerships.  This bridging year gives them an opportunity to resit one or more subjects on their "matric" exams, improve their English language skills, develop computer skills, explore who they are and what they want to become, and do community service in the township high schools, working with high school learners to provide opportunities to excel academically or develop skills in activities such as debating or journalism.  Below are profiles of SAEP's 2005 Interns.  See also profiles of the 2004 Interns.

Bandile Qashani
 

"I live in Samora Machel with my mother and two sisters. My mother is unemployed, but we manage to survive. I recently matriculated at Zisukhanyo Senior Secondary and I passed with a merit exemption and was the top student in my class. I was intending to study chemical Engineering at Peninsula Technikon, but that was not possible because of financial problems. My goal is to become a Chemical Engineer or to study medicine at the University of Cape Town.  

My teacher encouraged me to join SAEP, which promotes maths and science in the township schools, and other activities that develop our communities such as debating, poetry and journalism. Being part of SAEP is one of the important achievements in my life; it is going to give me the opportunity to encourage other learners like me to do maths and science as their matric subjects. Most students think mathematics and science is a nightmare; my dream is to see South Africa producing many scientists and mathematicians.”

Note:  Bandile has been accepted to study Chemical Engineering at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2006. 

Andile Nqoko

"My name is Andile Nqoko. I am 18 years old. I live at Philippi Township in Cape Town, with my mother, two sisters and my cousin who is still at school. My mother is the only bread winner in the family she works two days per week as a domestic worker, but the money she earns is not sufficient to satisfy the whole family. I matriculated last year (2004) at Zisukhanyo Secondary School.  I passed my matric with an exemption with merit and graduated second in my class with "B" in both science and mathematics..

This year I am a gap intern at South African Education and Environment Project (SAEP). This had not been my first priority for this year, since I wanted to further my studies at tertiary, but I could not because of financial problems.  I qualified to further my studies at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) doing electrical engineering, and attended classes for two weeks. Then I was forced to drop out after I was disappointed by the person who promised to pay for the fees. 

I joined SAEP so that I could have another chance to re-sit Maths and Science in higher grade. Last year I did them in standard grade because no one was able to teach me Maths and Science in higher grade at my school.  As my community service, I have been tutoring a small "focus group" of Grade 11  learners in maths and science at Oscar Mpetha High School in Nyanga East, one of the schools where SAEP works.

Next year (2006) I would like to go to CPUT to study electrical engineering if  I can get financial assistance.  In five years time I would like to see myself working for a big company, doing electrical engineering.” 

     Amanda Mayo
 

“I was born in the Eastern Cape. At the age of three, I moved to Cape Town with my parents. I live in a family of four. I attended Siyazakha Primary School in Philippi, and matriculated last year from Sinethemba Senior Secondary. During the period of 2001-2004, I was a member of Debating Society, Africa Youth Peace Club, the Learners Representative Council, and the Drama Society.  I also  participated in athletics.

This year I am an SAEP intern. I will be doing community work and also improving my matric results. Next year I want to study Law at the University of Cape Town, or at Fort Hare University in the Eastern Cape.  I am also interested in accounting.”

Note:   Amanda has been accepted to study Accounting at Cape Peninsula University of Technology and will enrol there in 2006.

Ncedo Richard Tyembile

"I was born in 1984, in the Eastern Cape in a beautiful little village called Qamata (Emkhukhwini). My family now live in Queenstown, and my clan name is Mqoco. My family consists of 10 members, including two brothers, two sisters and my cousins.

In 1999 I was a member of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at Zisukhanyo Senior Secondary School.  My role was a vital one, because I was the assistant treasurer. In 2000 I joined the school news bulletin and was elected as chief editor because of my amazing contributions to the bulletin and my leadership skills.

In 2003 I was one of the volunteers working at Newlands Stadium during the Cricket World Cup, at the opening ceremony event. I met players like Brett Lee, Ricky Ponting from Australia, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly from India and other players from India. During the same year, I received a letter from Desmond Tutu Emerging Leadership Programme asking for more information about the activities I was involved in, in the community and at school. The big moment for me was when they announced that out of 500 learners in the Western Cape, I was one of the top 20 students to receive this leadership award.

This year I could not get into tertiary because of financial reasons and because of my exam results (I had a very serious car accident the day before writing my final exams). Instead I am doing a gap year with SAEP with the intention of improving my results. I will also be helping out with the journalism project at the schools, so that I can improve my writing skills. I hope to go to university next year to study journalism.

Note: Richard plans to apply for a learnership in journalism at AMAC (Arts and Media Access Centre) in Cape Town before pursuing university education.

Miliswa Mnyande
 

"I was born in 1986, and am the youngest in a family of five. I matriculated at Fezeka High School, where I was on the committee of the debating team.  At school my major subjects were maths and science. I had hopes of studying at Wits University in Johannesburg, where I wanted to study medicine. Unfortunately my results were not good enough to be accepted. During my gap year with SAEP I hope to further my leadership skills as well as to rewrite my matric exams. I also plan to help other learners from poor backgrounds to do well on their maths and science so that they too can qualify to get the best education possible during this year.

 By the end of 2005 I wish to see myself being accepted into tertiary where I will be focusing on my studies and my dreams of becoming a doctor. In the future I see myself among the best doctors in South Africa, if not the world.”

Phelokazi Ngamlana
 

“My name is Phelokazi Ngamlana. I come from a family of four and I am 19 years old. I used to live in Port Elizabeth, but now I live in Philippi, Cape Town. I passed my matric last year (in 2004) at Zisukhanyo Senior Secondary School. I joined SAEP early this year because I felt as if I did not do as well as I could have in my matric. This year I want to improve my grades in three subjects, which I will be rewriting at the end of the year. I will also be helping out with debating in the high schools. 

I love listening to music, reading books (fiction), I enjoy watching TV, going out with friends, studying, debating and athletics.  I am interested in sport, especially cricket. I like to encourage women to play sport. My other interest is to help out in my community. My goal for this year is to study hard in order to get to tertiary next year. With SAEP's help I know I can make it.”

Zukiswa Mdoda

“My name is Zukiswa Mdoda. I live in New Crossroads. I matriculated at Oscar Mpetha High School in Nyanga in 2004. This year I am a gap-year intern at SAEP. My involvement includes tutoring at the schools in the townships. I am also involved in film screening at the schools. One of the reasons I decided to join the gap year programme was to improve my maths, English and computer skills.

 My hobbies are swimming, modelling, singing and reading. My goal in life is to become a cost management accountant, a chartered accountant or an actress. What inspires me is simply that I love working with numbers, and I want to increase the number of Black women in this field of work.”

Zimkhitha Ndinga
 

 “I am a matric graduate from Isilimela Comprehensive High School in Langa. I was born and grew up in Cape Town.  In high school I debated in the Township Debating League and was twice a national champion, and in my final year was top speaker in the national ratings. My dream for a long time was to become a scientist, because I was told that I had a duty to make a mark for black women's place in the world. However as I grew up and developed I realised that there was more to me than what people thought. I now have a wider dream of becoming a lawyer and a politician. 2005 is the year I start working towards achieving my dream. The best thing about my dream is that it is my dream and I am living it with SAEP's help.  During this year, I will be training high school debaters for the Township Debating league and helping high school and primary school learners improve their English.”

Mahlubandile Ntshoko
 

“I was born in the dirty sands of Langa in Zone 4, Cape Town, into a family of seven children with 3 brothers and 3 sisters. I was raised in a single parent family, and my mother passed away at the end of 2002.

My aim in life is to study computer science or law anywhere in the world. In my high school life I have achieved lot of things under the guidance of the teachers at Sinethemba. I have gained leadership skills through debating nationally and internationally.

In the community where I live, when a boy my age does not drink or smoke, people tend to judge you, saying “you think you are better than others”. That is why my motto in life is, “do not judge other people so that they can not judge you”. I hate people who judge others on what is wrong without giving any positive motivation.

Life is a curve with ups and downs, and that is why when something comes my way I am willing to learn, because I will never know what might happen if I miss the opportunity. This year I am working on debating and leadership programmes.”

Note:  Mahlubandile is now pursuing his dream of working with computers at a college that specializes in IT and networking.

Neo Monyaki

My hobbies are listening to music, reading magazines, and going out with friends. What inspires me in life are people who never give up in their dreams. My goals are to develop a better environment in our communities and study building management.”