Boston College and University of Michigan, South Africa
Mission Statement
We are team Ubuntu, consisting of three college students dedicated to empowering children through education. We believe that knowledge is a right, and that learning does not start nor stop in the classroom. Following the Ubuntu philosophy: "I am what I am because of who we all are," our team's mission is to work alongside the children to strengthen communities. We have chosen to work in Cape Town, where one member has both studied abroad and has had extensive volunteer experience. It is important to us that children in large, urban areas are not forgotten in this effort. Computers and Internet access are not necessarily accessible to children in Gugulethu.
NGO
Ikamva Labantu
Ikamva Labantu has been successfully running for over 45 years. We find that Ikamva Labantu's approach to sustainable development, through community empowerment, is an ideal match for the mission of OLPC. Furthermore, it is an ideal NGO to supervise the distribution and maintenance of the 100 XO laptops, as it has the resources, personnel, and program organization capable of sustaining it far beyond our stay. Ikamva Labantu runs projects that serve over 18,000 children in the Cape Province, and offers counseling and family services, which will help foster family and community involvement in the initiative. For a better understanding of the organization, please view this video.
Gugulective
Gugulective is art art collective based in Gugulethu township. The artists work together in their community with children to inspire creativity and social action. Their art work speaks for a need for change and their exhibitions are powerful and inspiring. Maxine worked with them while abroad and is looking forward to collaborating with them again this winter in South Africa. Their gallery in Gugulethu is easily accessible to us and to our students. We will work with them as the students explore art as an expression for change. We will also post the students' works on our website for the world to see. We expect to have multiple workshops on art and social action.
Team
| Name | Institution | Major | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noémie Hailu | Boston College | Communication, African Studies | Senior |
| Maxine Jean-Louis | Boston College | Sociology | Senior |
| Max Stoller | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | Social Computing Informatics | Freshman |
Noémie
Maxine
Max, dog not included.
Location
Gugulethu is a township outside of Cape Town, South Africa. <googlemap version="0.9" lat="-33.975681" lon="18.570843" type="satellite" zoom="7" controls="large"> -33.983608, 18.568796, Guguletu, Nyanga -33.983608, 18.568796, Guguletu, Nyanga </googlemap>
Budget
Please see an outline of our expenses here.