Ukhanyo Foundation is a Non-Profit Organisation based in Cape Town, South Africa. Sandiswa Gwele started Ukhanyo Foundation with the dream of a future in which South African youth in townships can pursue their ambitions, confidently seek to better their lives, and break the cycle of poverty.
Mission Statement
Ukhanyo's mission is To instill hope and foster success in underprivileged youth by providing tutoring, guidance, support, resources and opportunities. we hope to break the poverty cycle one student at a time by helping our students to improve their lives, reach for their goals and gain back the confidence that was lost through their schooling.
"I failed matric when I was in school and I know that all it takes is one person that believes in you", says Sandiswa Gwele, founder of Ukhanyo Foundation.
“Use your failure and turn it into a lesson from which you can benefit”
Through her work in youth development, Sandiswa identified an urgent need for youth mentorship in township communities, especially those who fail matric and are left without support from government or NGOs. Without a matric certificate, young people are more likely to be unemployed. Without opportunities to improve their lives, they are stuck in a cycle of poverty. To potential employers, educational qualifications are proven tools to assess skills and abilities; not having them limits access to opportunities for further studies or employment.
For South Africa's youth living in townships, the path to education is filled with academic and socio-economic challenges. Research shows that only 50% of learners that start Grade 1 complete Grade 12 in minimum time, with the rest being forced to drop out.
Sandisiwa notes that the reasons poor students fail matric extend beyond academic challenges; students' education is often derailed by traumatic experiences or a lack of resources. "These factors need to be acknowledged as they influence how young people learn in class and limit their abilities to be their best”.
Sandisiwa acknowledges that for those who fail, rewriting matric for the second time comes with even more challenges. "Learners fail matric after spending a year in class with textbooks. In my experience, even those who have the courage to register to re-write, fail again because of a lack of family and community support, as well as a lack of resources such as textbooks and tutoring assistance. These individuals really lose hope, self-esteem and they start believing that they are not good enough and they will never be successful in life".
Ukhanyo was started to change the future of those who are failed by the education system and unsuccessful in their matric examinations. One student at a time, Ukhanyo works to break the poverty cycle through rebuilding confidence, providing academic support, and helping our students to further their studies or find jobs after they pass.
Founder & Executive Director
Assistant Director
Senior Tutor
Senior Tutor
Ukhanyo Foundation provides a 'second-chance' multi-faceted support programme to learners from disadvantaged backgrounds who have been unsuccessful in their matric examinations. Within the youth development landscape in South Africa there is very little support for learners who have failed their matric exams. Ukhanyo offers academic support, supplementary tuition, life-coaching and career guidance to help our students lift themselves out of poverty and better their lives.
Looking to get in touch? Send us an email at ukhanyofoundation@gmail.com and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!
Ukhanyo Foundation provides a 'second-chance' multi-faceted support programme to learners from disadvantaged backgrounds who have been unsuccessful in their matric examinations. Sponsoring a student through our program can change their lives and help to uplift them and their families out of poverty. By making a donation today, you are investing in a better future for our youth.
