THE ARK (THE ISAIAH CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CENTRE)

This is an institution about 40km from where we are.  It provides a refuge for the homeless and destitute and for refugees from the warring countries beyond our borders.  It offers education to about 500 learners between seven and 20 years old, in Grades 1 to 12.  The Ark is not recognized by the Western Cape Education Department as none of the 36 volunteer-teachers except one have any professional qualifications.  Hence BALCO has, over the years been heavily involved with The Ark, advising and guiding.

Two years ago the school entered its first candidates in the Matriculation examination (six) and achieved a pass-rate of 67%; last year there were 12 candidates and the pass-rate was 100%; at present the Grade 12 class comprises a total of 27 learners.  The Ark relies heavily on donations from various quarters, receiving no state funding at all.  BALCO tries to alleviate the plight of the teaching staff there by supplying food-parcels on a monthly-basis.

 THE COMPUTER COURSES

Computers have come to occupy such a prominent place in to-day’s world that one can almost regard them as standard equipment in the home and the office.  Yet in the historically deprived communities thousands of individuals have never had the opportunity of becoming computer literate, still less the means of owning computers.  BALCO has acquired 11 computers and made them available to the schools in the vicinity free of charge.

 We have a programme entitled “ABET LITERACY AND NUMERACY THROUGH COMPUTER” designed to assist learners with problems in Communication and Numeracy.  Schools send their learners to our centre in batches of 10 at a time for an hour session once a week.  There are sixteen schools involved.  The learner interacts with the computer by performing tasks relayed via a set of head-phones. 

 We realize that there is a need in all communities for this kind of intervention as there is a need for ABET.  Unfortunately lack of funding is a serious stumbling block to our desire to help these struggling communities

HIV/AIDS PROGRAMME

In keeping with our decision last year to incorporate HIV/AIDS training in our delivery.  We all succeeded in varying degrees to break down taboos and discuss matters frankly.  Learners are keen participants and there is much learning on both sides  

Then following issues are incorporated into our programmes as we strive to:

• Continue to look for ways of building the self esteem of learners
• Give information on female condoms – availability, usage, “lifespan”, etc.
• Try to get rid of the stigma of HIV by talking about it more and talking about people’s fears
• Encourage testing
• Recognising the importance of pre-test counselling and that to large extent it is not happening, include pre-test counselling as part of the life-skills programme.  Facilitators would then have to be trained in such counselling.  Making this a matter of course will remove some of the apprehension people feel about being tested.

• Use more drama and role plays, especially when dealing with sensitive issues.  The dramas then lead to discussion, written work, assignments, etc.

• Develop in people a long-term view of life; awareness of choices, consequences, responsibilities.

• Include the importance of social responsibility, community, ubuntu