Our News
05 June 2017
Report by
Leketi Makalela
Balang opens a Bushbuckridge office
The need for the Balang literacy model in the communities has been partly answered through the establishment of Balang branch office in the remote rural village of Bushbuckridge. This has come about as a result of the community’s request for more support that Balang has been giving at the local schools in the area. The teachers and the principal of Mamosebo were instrumental in the establishment of the office to house two staff members who will verse the Foundation’s daily operations. Ms Olga Lebyane and Ms Nhlanhla Mphethi have resumed with their daily Balang routines on 5th June, 2017. The two expressed their excitement. “ I am so pleased that we now have a place for consultations and to sort out reading problems in this community. We will be more visible to everyone,” said Nhlanhla. They will be joined by more community volunteers who will in turn receive literacy training.
The chairman of the Foundation expressed satisfaction at the rate in which the Foundation is making leaps. He stressed that opening an office in Bushbuckridge is a dream come true because the Balang concept began in Bishbuckridge. “ We hope to expand the operations Southern African Development Communities and we see the Bushbuckridge model as a stepping stone as we move fast to save the children’s reading lives.”
22 May 2017
Report by
Leketi Makalela
Africa Day 2017 and Reading Literacy in Attridgeville, Pretoria
Teaching literacy is incomplete without full involvement of the early readers’ parents, caregivers and siblings. To change the reading literacy direction of the country and celebrate Africa Day, Balang Foundation held an arms length session with about 50 parents in Attridgeville on 25 May 2017. A delegation of the foundation sent four important messages for improving reading in the homes. First, parents understood how reading words at syllable levels can be a dangerous precedence for reading development in future. Syllables are not particularly important for meaning making in African languages. Because of this lack of value, most of the teaching in African languages version the logic of syllables from English and as a result create the so called ‘ba-be-bi-bo-bu’ methodology where children put these sounds to memory when they are not useful at a later stage. To respect African languages and their internal structure, syllabic reading should be avoided at all costs as it breeds bad reading habits that hamper comprehension at a later stage. These behaviours were identified as: head movement, regression, finger pointing and verbalization. Parents got the message straight that when syllables are used as units of reading, the parents need to help the child to close these into a full meaningful word. For example: I-n-vu-la should be closed as ‘invula’ once.
The next issue that impedes comprehension is read aloud. While this skill is practiced in many schools nationally, we find that over-emphasis at the expense of silent reading robs the readers of the opportunity to read for meaning and enjoyment. At worse, many readers at grade 6 are conditioned to believe that this is the only way to approach a text. It is very important to let children have opportunities for silent reading.
Finally, when it comes to habits formation, it was stressed that parents should be involved in the reading process for the children. Parents should model reading to the extent that a reading time should be given a ‘sacred’ time without competition with television. Parents cannot watch television programmes while their kids are reading in another room. Secondly, in the process of reading for (scaffolded reading) and reading with (shared reading), parents and caregivers need to spend at least 15 minutes daily with children on reading. This is more effective if it is happening just before bedtime.
10 March 2017
Report by
Balang Team and Lesedi Lekganyane
We are only human through words” - Balang learner at grade 12 in 2017
This time of year is yet another period when parents and grades 12 learners are holding their breadth, praying and wishing for all the best of lucks to befall on their candidates to make a transition from high school to higher education. Balang Foundation takes the pride this year again to announce that it will have its second grade 12 learner, Lesedi Lekganyane, battling it out this October/November. Lesedi was born in Polokwane under abject poverty and difficult circumstances, but since Balang met him his life transformed into a creative genius ready to take the bull by its horns! From grade 6 to grade 12 at Marobathota High School, a Zion Christian Church school situated between Polokwane and Tzaneen, was a sailing period of adventure with a team of Balang experts and volunteers who were determined to see success even in the most uncertain situations of the kids’ lives. Today it reads like a miracle that a grade 6 learner Balang adopted six years ago and mentored has reached the final leg of basic education when it all seemed impossible. His story is full proof that without great foundations in literacy, it is unimaginable how young people can transform the world and make full sense of it.
When interviewed recently, he expressed hope that he is fully prepared for the road ahead, including passing matric very well. He praised Balang for being the pillar of his strength in the six years of tutelage. He said, “the Foundation has impacted positively towards enriching me with a way on how to overcome life’s challenges”. His response to poverty and its disabling outcomes is confidently asserted, “it is no doubt that poverty has a home in Africa, but it is all up to us to eradicate and open channels through learning and by having a positive mindset. Education is a life’s foundation that serves to as a lifetime monument”.
Lesedi left no stone unturned when he congratulated Balang about the workshops that he found beneficial. He understood the cornerstone of literacy and its human ingredients as taught in the Foundation. Professor Leketi Makalela, the chairman of the Foundation, is on record saying to the kids that reading is to the mind what food is to the body and that words consumed consistently make a difference between humans and animals. Lesedi, a good learner of Prof Makalela’s teachings, recalled: “Having attended workshops really elevated my level of understanding, and can now proudly say that one must bear in mind that the only thing that makes us human is because of words”.
“Through literature mentoring, I have improved socially as well as academically because I have learned to acquire an intransitive approach towards my goals”. Words help to affirm a historical consciousness and projection for the future.
At Balang Foundation, we believe that insistence on word reading (eating) is the ultimate game-changer to address poverty and developmental challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lesedi’s growth path is a seed that is growing the forest of literacy and development. Education systems can emulate. We wish him well in the examinations that begin in about a week.
17 Jan 2017
Report by
Balang Team
Our bursar at Wits University - Beaming of hope for rural learners
They say dreams come true, but when everything dreamed becomes true, it it gets hard to believe. When Balang Foundation (BF) started 7 years ago, the vision was to enable vulnerable children all over South Africa and its neighbouring countries through confidence building programmes, school clothing and reading literacy support. We based our decisions on hunches and philosophies and little did we know how quick the Foundation would have grown with such a cheetah speed! We are pleased to report that one of our bursars is a full time student at South Africa’s premier university, University of the Witwatersrand. Mojalefa Ramogale took the BF mandate seriously and found himself passing grade 12 with distinctions that opened doors for admission at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. “I am so proud of Balang for its continuous support till I reached this milestone”, he says after receiving a cheque to a attend winter school programme based at the University of Limpopo last July. Coming from humble beginnings and attending a remote rural school, Ngwanaseala Secondary School in Sekgweng in Polokwane, he has amassed so much wisdom that will see him winning over circumstances.
Mojalefa lives with both his parents and two siblings in grades 10 and 7. They are the sources of his inspiration. His school subjects: Physics, Mathematics, Life orientation, Life science, Agriculture, English and Sepedi kept him busy as he geared himself to scoop distinctions. Despite the limitations that his school did not have a Physics teacher, he understood taking up responsibility for his own learning by working hard and creating study groups with his siblings.
He recalls how he joined Balang, “I was introduced to Balang Foundation by my teacher Mam Tshwane in 2011 and that is how I was fortunate to be selected by the Foundation for five years.” BF has helped him transform his life by providing uniform sets every year, motivating him to strive for more in life and encouraging and supporting him with reading skills. In particular, he learned the principle of reference group; that is, one’s decisions in life is influenced by about 95% of the people one keeps around oneself. He has learned to be himself and not let peer pressure change him.
What keeps this promising young man focused in life is his ardent love for books, which sees him reading at least two novels at any given time. He confided in us how he is thrilled about the being at Wits University and his desire to pass his first year courses this year so he can meet new life opportunities. “I cannot wait for this to happen in my life”, he charges confidently.
Balang Foundation is grateful for the support it receives from donors and friends. We wish him the best and keep thumbs pressed for excellent results at the end of the year.
17 Jul 2016
Report by
Balang Team
Forging forward and empowering vulnerable children
Balang Foundation marked its 6th year with corrective care workshops for its Limpopo-based bursars on the 14-17 July 2016 at Protea Hotel in Polokwane, Limpopo Province. As an annual catch-up session and reinforcement of reading and life skills taught to Balang Foundation learners, the 2016 corrective care workshop took place on 14-17 July at Protea Hotel in Polokwane. In this workshop the learners brought their results.
The first day on arrival, each of the Balang learners were afforded an opportunity to share with the facilitators their experiences with Balang and reflection of the first half of 2016. An overwhelming majority of the learners showed growth and maturity in their schooling and life engagements. They were proud of the Balang opportunity that got them courage, determination and a burning desire to succeed and stay the best performers in their schools.
Leadership and personal management
Regarding leadership and personal management, the learners were guided and supported to visualize their future. In order to lead their lives, they had to see far in the distance. With the vision as the first ingredient of success, they were encouraged to write it down and speak positively towards it. To stay positive and geared toward the vision, it was important to emphasise that they needed to change their language; that is, the manner in which they talk about themselves in relation to the future. When they do so, they would harness the power of autosuggestion- speaking positively about oneself so that they develop self confidence and that they are able to survive negative suggestions coming from other people. They learned how to identify positive suggestion and negative ones and to refute negative thoughts coming into their mental spaces (sub-consciousness). Their confidence levels went up as they equally learned how to defeat fear….fear of success and failure alike.
One of the grade 4 learners, Ngokwana understood the concept of self-confidence and positive self-talk that she re-wrote herself in the session as “ke nna thobadingwe mekokotlo”, meaning I am the one who is stronger to force others to bow down. This was a highlight of the session and an evidence of successful uptake from the workshop.
On time management, the learners were reminded on living in a compass to guide their daily activities. The first principle of to-do list was repeated for some who were part of the Foundation in the past three years. This year an emphasis went on how procrastination becomes the thief of their success. Two key components on getting things done were revealed and shared with the group on the basis of these twin-habits: being biased towards action and a sense of urgency. The learners presented their own stories on how their time management skills have improved since they joined the Foundation and
Book reading
Balang Foundation believes that the best way to build a responsible citizentry for the future is to cultivate the habits and skills in knowledge acquisition. As at the heart of its mission, reading for enjoyment and for learning are key pillars that define the organization’s community engagement pathways. One of the highlights of the workshop was reading training programme that focused on fluency and habit formation. The learners were given extracts from several books to read both silently and aloud with the instructors observing how they become fluent and attack difficult words. Group and individual work were assessed on spot and feedback was given to learners who struggled. There was a lot of potential and an observed increase in abilities from the previous years. When interviewed on reading habits, most of the learners attested that they read way above the number of tasks given by teachers and they are always on the look out for more reading opportunities. Some of the learners reported the following:
“We read everyday, on Saturdays, Sundays and almost every day of my life. Balang Foundation taught me to make this a habit and I am very grateful because I now breathe reading and it is working for me.” [ Translated from Sepedi]
“I don’t have to wait for my teachers to tell me what I should read. I move along as long as there is something o read ahead. This way I always get better marks when I am have a test.”[ translated from Sepedi]
“My parents now understand that I must read every day. They give me my space at home to read and share with them all that I read. It is part of my life and I cannot imagine my life without reading.” [translated from Sepedi]
These personal narratives give the Foundation a perspective on the impact our intervention through reading has made to the learners. This is the proudest moment for the Foundation to turn non-readers into avid and independent scholars. On the day of the workshop the learners received up to three books as additional materials to read habitually at home. The Foundation will need to invest resources in ensuring that the children have books in their hands- to own. Balang continues to forge forward and save the vulnerable children to become successful members of the society.
