South Africa: Pretoria (Mamelodi)

One factor that has caused the Kingdom of God to advance over the centuries has been the active response of Christians to the great needs of their day. This project is about meeting these needs in Mamelodi, South Africa, a vast township left in the wake of Apartheid where a significant number of residents still live with no electricity or running water. Less than 11 percent of students qualify for university, as they often struggle with entrance exams given in English rather than in their home languages. Here, we have the opportunity to model the Gospel in both word and deed.

We will serve as intern teachers for the Mamelodi Initiative, a non-profit educational enrichment program that strives to empower youth to create positive change in their community. The program utilizes the students’ 3-week break from school to build foundational mathematics and English skills, with the aim of moving learners towards performing at or above grade level. Each of us will partner with a South African university student, teaching a small group of learners in the morning and then leading creative or activity-based workshops in the afternoon. (Past examples have included spoken word, dance, rugby, and photography.) Teachers will build connections with learners by facilitating team building activities and sharing their stories. We want to come away having humbly revealed Jesus to those we meet in Mamelodi and with tools on our belt to advance the Kingdom wherever God has put us for college.

Meet Godwin, a Mamelodi Initiative graduate: https://vimeo.com/143477872

To learn more, please visit http://mamelodi.org.