Why Sawabona Africa
Passion, Partnership and making a positive difference where it counts
Why we invest in education
Education. The key to enabling change
According to the Gini Coefficient, South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world, where unfortunately the gap between rich and poor has not closed despite the end of Apartheid nearly 30 years ago. Access to a good education is limited to those who can afford it, and the education system falls further into a crisis. Of 100 learners who start school, only 6 will manage to graduate with a tertiary education. Youth unemployment has recently risen to an alarming 70 %, and more people are relying on charitable giving to get by.
Given the right education, opportunity, skills, tools and guidance, we can finally break that cycle of poverty and give more children equal chances and a hope for a brighter future. We know that then the South African youth will thrive and contribute to building a better South Africa.
We want to offer new hope to the youth and children of South Africa with your help.
Support Education. Deliver Hope.
Education is an enabling and multiplier right, serving as “the primary vehicle by which socially and economically marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty.”
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (adopted 16 December 1966, entered into force 3 January 1976), Art. 13.
Why we invest in education
Education. The key to enabling change
According to the Gini Coefficient, South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world, where unfortunately the gap between rich and poor has not closed despite the end of Apartheid nearly 30 years ago. Access to a good education is limited to those who can afford it, and the education system falls further into a crisis. Of 100 learners who start school, only 6 will manage to graduate with a tertiary education. Youth unemployment has recently risen to an alarming 70 %, and more people are relying on charitable giving to get by.
Given the right education, opportunity, skills, tools and guidance, we can finally break that cycle of poverty and give more children equal chances and a hope for a brighter future. We know that then the South African youth will thrive and contribute to building a better South Africa.
We want to offer new hope to the youth and children of South Africa with your help.
Support Education. Deliver Hope.
100 % of your donation is sent directly to the projects you support
We build transparent partnerships
Our relationships are open and transparent
Through partnering with small community lead charities, run by small teams of dedicated and passionate people, we believe that donations to these charities have a higher impact. We are also able to work closely with the staff and have regular contact.
Our charities are carefully selected and our relationships are open. We visit our charities regularly, and support the teams when help is needed. Our model is based on not only sending money, but helping support the charities to effectively use the funds we raise.
We build transparent partnerships
Our relationships are open and transparent
Through partnering with small community lead charities, run by small teams of dedicated and passionate people, we believe that donations to these charities have a higher impact. We are also able to work closely with the staff and have regular contact.
Our charities are carefully selected and our relationships are open. We visit our charities regularly, and support the teams when help is needed. Our model is based on not only sending money, but helping support the charities to effectively use the funds we raise.
South Africa is close to our hearts
South Africa and the children we support are close to our hearts
Sawabona Africa is managed by a South African and those who love South Africa. The children and tutors and staff melt our hearts.
With our big hearts, a passion to uplift lives we aim to offer hope so desperately needed. We wish to share that passion with you and invite you to join us on this incredible journey.
A few resources on inequity and education in South Africa
Amnesty International report: Broken and unequal
This article provides an overview on the state of education in South Africa.
Nick Spaull. Equity: A price too high to pay?
Spaull, N. (2019). Equity: A price too high to pay? Framing chapter in Spaull, N & Jansen, J (eds) ‘South African Schooling: The Enigma of Inequality‘ Springer. (Erratum)
Unequal scenes shares a photographic series taken with a drone to illustrate the scars within our urban fabric.
Research from Nic Spaull on Reading for Meaning statistics in 2022
Nic Spaull presents statistics and reasearch into the state of reading in South Africa. e.g. 78% of children aged 10 at school can not read for meaning. And the trajectory for 2030 should the South African government not intervene in increasing learning outcomes of disadvantaged children.
BBC: Project 17 ‘I was told to clean my own toilets at school‘
This is part of the BBC World Service series produced in partnership with the Open University, in which 17-year-olds look at progress on the UN’s 17 goals
Education at a glance: Statistics on South Africa
Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators (OECD, 2019[1]) is the authoritative source for information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the structure, finances and performance of education systems in OECD and partner countries.
Statistics are presented on South Africa e.g. Those with an upper secondary qualification are less likely to be employed and are more at risk of being neither employed nor in education or training at a young age than those with a tertiary degree
2021-Investment-Case-for-After-School-Programmes
Joy Oliver from The Learning Trusts presents a case study of the benefits for After School Programmes to increase learning outcomes for children in underresourced communities.
The Thrive by Five Index 2021 is the first (baseline) in a series of surveys that will monitor trends over time in the
proportion of 4- to 5-year-old children attending ELPs who are On Track for their age in key areas of development.
This is the largest survey of preschool child outcomes ever attempted in South Africa.
A summary of the current unemployment statistics in South Africa. Published August 2022
article by Brian Isaacs on the difference in school subsidies in South Africa. Read: How the quintile system for schools works
underperfoming-schools-report-1
This report from the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) gives a detailed overview of the legacy of why there is a difference in performace of children at schools and investigates the current situation
The EELC is a public interest law centre with a team of activist lawyers and researchers working to advance the struggle for quality and equality in education through legal research, advocacy and strategic litigation.
A few resources on inequity and education in South Africa
South Africa: Broken and unequal education perpetuating poverty and inequality
Amnesty International
This article provides an overview on the state of education in South Africa.
Unequal scenes shares a photographic series taken with a drone to illustrate the scars within our urban fabric.
Nick Spaull. Equity: A price too high to pay?
Spaull, N. (2019). Equity: A price too high to pay? Framing chapter in Spaull, N & Jansen, J (eds) ‘South African Schooling: The Enigma of Inequality‘ Springer. (Erratum)
BBC: Project 17 ‘I was told to clean my own toilets at school‘
This is part of the BBC World Service series produced in partnership with the Open University, in which 17-year-olds look at progress on the UN’s 17 goals
“Do your little bit of good where you are;
It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Archbishop Desmond Tutu