Achievement report - July

National Scholarship Program An opportunity like no other

Objective
Provide 2 individuals with the National Scholarship Program (NSPs) during the year

SDG: No poverty, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Reduce
Inequalities, Partnerships for the goals

Summary
GVI Cape Town was able to give a local woman from our Womens Empowerment Program the op-
portunity to come and join us on our National scholarship programme (NSP) as an intern for three
months. During the past months, Phumeza has been getting hands-on experience on all our projects
and gaining skills in English, leadership and teaching whilst making a difference in her own commu-
nity can you think of anything more empowering?

Report
Thanks to the GVI Trust, GVI Cape Town is able to
provide community members with the oppor-
tunity to gain hands-on experience, training, lead-
ership courses whilst being able to network with
people from all over the world together with our
international group of volunteers. Locals who are
underprivileged, passionate and committed to
their community and GVIs mission are encour-
aged to apply to the National Scholarship Program
(NSP). Here in Gordons Bay, we were lucky to
have found Phumeza, a committed, compassionate young woman who was thriving on our local
Womens Empowerment Program. Phumeza came to every group meeting for a few months and
showed great initiative to encourage other women to do the same. Even when she had completed
all her courses, Phumeza still returned to simply assist the staff in facilitating computer classes.
When I first met Phumeza, she did not know how to turn on the computer and was very shy around
our volunteers. A couple of months later she compiled a speech on word, made a PowerPoint
presentation and further practiced her presentation skills enough to have the confidence to present
an introduction to the Womens Empowerment Program to 20 American Faculty Members and 40
locals.

After this presentation, it was clear that she had the capability and determination to achieve change
in the local community, all she needed was encouragement. With a dream to become a social
worker, she joined GVI Gordons Bay for a three months internship program. During this time, she
got the opportunity to try all our projects, undertake a leadership course and become First Aid and
CPR certified.

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This is what she had to say about her experience so far:

GVI has been a great opportunity in my life. Ever since I have been with GVI my life have
changed. First of all I was a shy person, with no confidence and afraid to stand in front of
people and talk, especially to international people from different countries and talk a differ-
ent language. It was difficult at the first time I arrived because I was wondering I will speak
English all the time and share everything with international people which is the thing I have
never done before but that helped by improving my English and get used to other people.
GVI taught me how to deal with children which is also a challenge because those children
are from different background and we have to treat them as equals so that they feel com-
fortable. That really gives me more knowledge about children and I want to be a teacher and
I also get more confidence. From the projects I have done the most I like is Childcare be-
cause I like to take care of children and I like them. Without GVI I dont know what I would
be and where I would get this opportunity they have given me.

What is exciting is that this is only the beginning of Phumezas career, as she now knows that she
wants to be a teacher and has applied for university.

Phumeza exemplifies the benefits of the NSP, which is why GVI Cape Town continues to put in a con-
certed effort to connect with more locals through the NSP and promote their engagement with our
projects in the locations outside of Cape Town.

Now, it is only a few more weeks until GVI Cape Towns second NSP candidate for 2017 will move in
and make a difference in her community.

Written by: Tilda Christensson Base Manager

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