Residents called for lessons in French
“We believe that teaching young people in the area French is one of the ways we can open doors for them, especially when it comes to employment in other countries."
Residents of Diepkloof and surrounding area are called upon by the Alliance Française to enrol for French lessons.
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The Alliance Française of Soweto opened its doors in 1982 as a new branch of the Alliance of Johannesburg. At the time it was the first European cultural organisation to settle in the area.
From the very beginning, the non-profit organisation offered French classes and cultural events and will soon become an independent organisation with its own constitution and committee.
In the 80s, it was also running a training centre called Thupelo where young Sowetans would come to learn welding, masonry, cooking and sewing, among others.
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According to the president of the alliance, Lesedi Obed Gama, their mission is to offer new opportunities for the community of Soweto and to create connections between French and South African cultures.
“We believe that teaching young people in the area French is one of the ways we can open doors for them, especially when it comes to employment in other countries.
“I for one completed a course in French and I can gladly say that it was one of the best things I have done for myself because this is one of the skills that cannot be taken away,” he said.
Statistics released by the Frenchside states that there is an estimation of about 7080 French-speaking people in South Africa, mostly located in the Western Cape and Gauteng.
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“So far we have five students who are currently enrolled with us and we call on more residents to come and join.
“French has been used as the official language for international diplomacy for centuries. This shows the importance that this language holds.”
The alliance pedagogical director, Samantha Gahin said that what makes their programme special and simple is that they use different forms of teaching and learning including watching French documentaries, games as well as keeping the students engaged.
