Cause Index

Sir lowry's Pass Community Empowerment Project

Sir Lowry’s Pass village, a former slave colony till 1830’s, is a small, very poor community in the Western Cape that has been largely forgotten. The people here struggle with many of the same issues we find in other townships in South Africa. The lack of education as well as the alcoholism and HIV/AIDS problem have contributed to very high unemployment numbers.
“Sir Lowry’s Pass Community Empowerment Project” is registered as a Trust and a Public Benefit Organisation. It currently serves the community of Sir Lowry’s Pass and is not for profit. It works with previously disadvantaged parents and children in the community focusing efforts in the areas of job creation, education and mentoring.

Vision

The vision of the Empowerment Project is to serve communities through the gift of love as per the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. We wish to see South Africa changed through the impact we believe loved and empowered children can have on families, communities and the nation.
Mission

To use the best available educational methodologies to reach and empower every child we connect with as a program.
To develop strong partnerships with like-minded and hearted organisations, businesses and government departments to ensure optimal usage of resource in the strive to build an empowered and loving nation.

To follow through in giving our all as a gift of love as we follow the example of Jesus Christ who first gave Himself for all of us.

To know that real love expressed through our deeds will concur all as it is not what we say, but what we do that will impact eternally.

To always embrace/ respect all people irrespective their race, creed, gender or financial position as we should and cannot have anything against anyone except to love and care for them.

Objective

The core initiative of the Trust is to co-ordinate education programmes. The literacy rate as measured by the Department of Education in 2011 found Grade 3 and 6 learners in Sir Lowry’s Pass to be only 7%. Furthermore, only about 50% of the learners enrol for high school and only 3% finish Grade 12.
The teachers of Sir Lowry’s Primary and its feeder Pre-schools are struggling with in excess of 40 children in a class who arrive physically and/or emotionally under-nourished. Some have behavioural problems and stumbling blocks like foetal alcohol syndrome and HIV. The school is doing the best they can but they need help.

This situation requires urgent attention as literacy will be the basic skill that will allow children to become learners and achievers. Through the literacy centre initiative, school readiness and sustainability programme our aim is to see the school improve its’ literacy and numeracy levels to above 80% and see a similar number progress through high school.

The results from 2011 till 2013 saw literacy improved by 427% and numeracy by 557%.

We further see ourselves taking this model to other communities within South Africa and where possible Africa.

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