South Africa
South Africa is a country of stark contrasts: it’s geographic composition ranges from semi-deserts and savannah to grasslands and forests; busy metropolitian city centres and tree-lined suburbs exist alongside vast slums and sprawling townships; cultural, economic and social divides continue between the black, white and coloured populations, which are not homogenous in themselves. It is a country in transition attemting to establish new race relations, which celebrate diversity, regenerate the economy, and manage numerous social problems and the ever-worsening HIV and AIDS pandemic.
In 2010, Tenteleni will have five projects running in South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province. The projects are aimed at allievating some of the hardships faced by the children, youths and teachers in South Africa through assisting in schools and children’s homes. The projects are organised throughout the year by the South Africa Project Management Team through Mpumalanga’s Department of Education and with the placements themselves. To find out more about each individual project, please use the links on the left.
Provisional Project Dates for 2010: 8 weeks from Monday 25th July-Friday 17th September.
South Africa Project Preparation Materials
The South Africa project preparation packs for KaNyamazane, Pienaar, Matsulu and Nkomazi East, along with the South Africa education brief and siSwati language pack, are available to current volunteers by registering a website account. To register, click on the link at the top of the page and create a new account. All packs are then available through the Volunteer Information page.
Links
Government Websites
South African Government
Website
South African Department of
Education
Mpumalanga
Province Department of Education
Newspapers
South African online independent newspaper
Tourism Websites
www.southafrica.net
www.southafrica.com
www.mpumalanga.com
South African National
Parks
Discover
South Africa
Relevant Books
Oxford History of the British Empire - Oxford 1998 edition (in particular volume 5) UNESCO General History of Africa - Edinburgh 1981
Twentieth-century South Africa 2nd ed. Oxford 2001 - William Beinhart A Concise History of Africa - Robert A. Ross
A History of South Africa – Leonard Thompson Illustrated History of South Africa – Readers Digest
Unwinding Threads - a collection of short stories from female authors across Africa South of Limpopo – Dervla Murphy
The Ukimwi Road - Dervla Murphy Long Walk to Freedom – Nelson Mandela
Disgrace – JM Coetzee Cry, The Beloved Country – Alan Paton
Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe
“I think they had a very high impact on learners, especially because of their friendliness and openness.”
South African Educator, 2007