The Miss South Africa 2022 top 10 finalists celebrated Youth Day by doing an art class with children from the Malapa Motsetse Foundation NGO, at Dowling Primary school in Westbury.
Anarzade Omar from Joburg South joined the other finalists from Miss SA at the school in attending an inspirational art class given by the renowned artist, Neda Roodaki.
The CEO of Miss SA, Stephanie Weil said: “The Malapa Motsetse Foundation NGO was chosen because the NGO is a beacon of hope, despite the high level of adult unemployment in the area. It is an honour for the top 10 to be with the Dowling Primary School children on Youth Day when our country reflects on the massacre of school children during the 1976 Soweto uprising.
“Last year, Miss South Africa 2021, Lalela Mswane, began her reign with a visit to the school, pledging her support to what she called ‘an initiative of hope’”.
Weil was referring to the project begun by philanthropist Tim Nash who set up the Malapa Motsetse Foundation to help improve the STEM (science, technology, English and maths) subjects for children who would otherwise have no access to them.
The foundation supports the Westbury project that feeds and educates 350 primary school children from Monday to Friday and supports 11 primary schools in the area.
Kobus Botha, CEO of the Cradle Boutique Hotel said, “The foundation focuses on preserving and protecting the cultural and natural heritage of a significant part of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. The net income earned from the Cradle Boutique Hotel and The Nature Reserve is reinvested into conservation and education that includes supporting the Westbury STEM Programme.”
The programme at the school began with an after-hours supplementary maths programme on computers. When it was discovered that literacy levels were low, this was included in the curriculum. During the pandemic, when schools were closed or operated on alternate days, the STEM programme supplemented lessons.
Christine Boxall, Malapa Motsetse Foundation Primary School NGO co-ordinator said, “Our grounds offer a safe space for both students and community. Petty crime and drugs are rife in the area, so we are a haven in the afternoons for our students.
“We get many parents thanking us for the impact on their children’s education. Disinterested students have become engaged in their schooling, and marks have steadily risen. The most gratifying stories are from the students who have gained confidence in their own academic abilities.”
