Masiphumelele's library was built in 2003 by Masicorp and opened its doors on 15 September 2003 as a satellite of Fish Hoek Library. It has since been extended twice and was handed over to City of Cape Town in 2008. Masicorp has a computer lab in the library which we use to provide free basic computer classes to the people of Masiphumelele.
At Masi Educare we've partnered with the city of Cape Town– we have a Memorandum Of Understanding to manage the property. We have raised the funds and developed the centre adding 8 new classes. We have a facility management agreement to manage the site as an ED centre. Chasmay road Campus in which our offices are located is also owned by the City of Cape town and we manage the property on their behalf.
Masicorp collaborates with the Dept of Social Development through our work at our registered crèche Masi Educare. We also have future plans to register Chasmay Educare with the department.
We have previously assisted community crèches to reach the standard required to become registered and then access DSD funding. However, over the years this model became unsustainable for us due to various challenges. These informal structures are usually not owned by the caregivers, but are run as private businesses, making compliance extremely difficult.
Today, our aim is to improve the quality of care and learning outcomes for all pre-school aged children in Masi. We are now channelling our efforts through our Stay and Play programme and finding this to be benefitting the children as well as modelling a more effective method of skills transfer to the caregiver. Together with the support and monitoring the team give to the crèche, we are seeing promising results. Participating crèches which show of implementing what they are seeing are further rewarded with equipment and project materials.
At the Chasmay Road site, Masicorp, working in partnership with Evangeline Ministries, provides a ‘Life Skills’ course for women with little or no previous education. The course takes six months and teaches Basic English, Computer and Sewing Skills. All these topics are highly relevant to the women’s everyday lives and the course helps them gain self-confidence and a pride in their own work. Successful students receive a new sewing machine at graduation.
Fish Hoek High School have provided facilities for Masicorp to run after school maths lessons for learners from Masiphumelele High School. More than 80 high school learners attend the lessons, 50 of these learners are from Masi High school, and just over 30 are from Fish Hoek high school. Rob Douglas runs these classes with the help of 4 volunteers. Masicorp supports the programme by providing transport for Masi learners to get to the classes and has often connected Rob with some of the wonderful volunteers involved in the programme.
IKamva Youth is a Cape Town based NGO that began working in Masiphumelele in order to mentor learners so they can get better results at school. They provide community support to the families of the learners on our educational programmes.
JAM partners with Masicorp to provide healthy food to pre-school children in Masiphumelele. JAM supports more than 1,700 pre-schools in seven provinces of South Africa. As of January 2014, JAM SA introduced nutritional assessments to measure the impact of their programmes.
This skills training centre operates free of charge to unemployed and unskilled members of our community with the aim to equip students with the skills necessary to join the job market or start a small business. Find out more about the work of The Sewing Café here
The Principals Academy Trust administrates donor funding for an executive management programme for school leaders, with the goal to turn schools into centres of excellence in underperforming areas. In Masiphumelele they are providing funding and mentorship to Ukhanyo Primary School Headmaster, Michael Thyali.
Living Hope is a Christian charity working in Masiphumelele to improve the living conditions of the residents. Masicorp has worked together with this wonderful organization on relief efforts during the fire crisis that often ravages the Masiphumelele township.
Find out more about Living Hope's work in Masiphumelele here
The Unlimited Child directly supports and promotes quality ECD by providing an integrated, rapid impact programme that trains crèche caregivers in disadvantaged areas Several ECD teachers at pre-schools receiving help from Masicorp are currently being trained by The Unlimited Child.
Valley Development Projects (VDP) seeks to improve the lives of people in the Ocean View and Masiphumelele communities. Masicorp has worked together with them particularly on ECD projects.