Mission, vision and strategy
Mission
Born in Africa (BIA) is a South African Non Profit Organisation (NPO) whose activities are aimed at stimulating the educational development of children from underprivileged backgrounds and deprived communities in the Bitou Municipal area in the Western Cape (Plettenberg Bay). BIA focuses its activities mainly around the enhancement of social and educational development in this region of South Africa, where the living standards contrast between extreme wealth for some, and abject poverty for most.
We believe that a good education is not only a prerequisite for a socially-just South Africa, but also one of the most important fundamental rights of the child. We feel strongly that having a good education enhances your chance of achieving success later in life. By creating better opportunities for young people to participate in the labour market, we aim to offer our children an alternative to the current vicious cycle of poverty and abuse they find themselves in. We encourage personal development and growth.
We aspire to assist our children throughout their school careers. Given their socio-economic circumstances, many of our children drop-out of school before Gr 12, but we believe that each child we work with is special. It is for this reason that BIA will soon establish a Homework centre where children can complete their daily school work, do research on projects and much more. Besides this, they will also be given additional tuition in: study methods, extra English lessons, computer classes, and other important skills to add value to their educational careers. We also motivate our learners to further their education once they have completed high school. We have set up a “Study Fund” which will allow our children to reach their full potential and realise their dreams.
Vision
With the prospect of further study we strive to offer our children the best possible advice about careers- and have in place a Career Guidance program where we establish the interests and abilities of the Gr 12 student and how their talents can be channelled. Once we have completed this process we discuss various study options.
This year 2010, we have 7 students attending Wittedrift High, 3 college students and 1 university student. Each year we will offer 4 new bursaries for children to attend Wittedrift High School, and these children in time will move on to college or university. Below is a projection of how we envisage the growth:
- 2010: 1 university student, 3 college students, 7 Wittedrift High students
- 2011: 7 university students, 7 college students, 11 Wittedrift High students
- 2012: 10 university students, 10 college students, 15 Wittedrift High students
Strategy
To achieve our mission, we have developed a threefold strategy:
