By JOY HINYIKIWILE
Rhodes University Community Engagement’s SD Cards project is appealing for more donations. The project donates 32 Gig SD cards loaded with study material to matric learners in no-fee paying schools in Makhanda. It raises money to buy the cards, which cost R110 each and loads them with relevant study material for learners.
For 2022, the project aimed to raise enough money to donate 540 SD cards, which will cover every matric learner at all no-fee paying schools in Makhanda. So far, the project has donated 320 cards to three schools – Mary Waters, Nyaluza and Khutliso. It needs 214 cards to be able to donate to Nombulelo matriculants.
The project is part of the Rhodes University Vice Chancellor’s Education Initiative. RUCE works with Rhodes University third-year journalism students to load the cards with material tailored to each matric learner and then hand them over to matriculants. The SD cards also contain educational material learners can enjoy for leisure purposes, such as novels and plays.
The project started in 2020 to help matric learners keep up with their studies during the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, it reached its target and donated SD cards to the four no-fee paying secondary schools around Makhanda.
RUCE’s Thandiswa Nqowana, who oversees the project, says the project helped improve the Makana District’s 2021 matric pass rate. Though there have been fewer school disruptions this year than in the past two years, Nqowana believes the 2022 Matric class is still recovering from the devastating effects of Covid-19. Learning material is scarce for learners in no-fee paying schools, and the internet is not easily accessible. Hence, the project is still relevant.
“In 2020, learners experienced about six months of school disruption, which they still haven’t recovered from. There haven’t been many programmes to help them catch up with their lost work. The initiative works with schools and afterschool programmes to provide material that will help them recover.”
Please contribute by depositing funds to reach the target of 520 cards – RUCE and the School of Journalism will do the rest.
Deposits can be made to:
- Rhodes University
- First National Bank
- Branch: 210717
- Account number: 62145503076
- Reference: CE SD Card (and your name and surname)
- Please send proof of payment to j.goliath@ru.ac.za – it’s important that you do this so we can thank you!
