A worthy cause

with Ros and Priscilla (all photos by Sue Huck)

It all started with my friend Ros. Ros is "very good with numbers." And as the scorer and statistician for international cricket, Ros travels all over the world during the cricket season. She works freelance so her comings and goings are hard to pin down. (For instance she just got back from India where she worked for 47 days and she is now on her way to the USA for some cricket matches across the country including Citi Field in New York.)

Ros expressed to me her desire to volunteer somewhere tutoring Maths when she is home in Joburg but she has found volunteering hard to do because of her hectic schedule. And since I majored in Mathematics and Computer Science myself as an undergraduate, I was of course 100% in favor of her wish.

Avril is standing in the far right of the picture

I suggested that Ros talk to Avril Donnelly, my friend who directs the volunteers for Edu Fun, a Public Benefit Organization that delivers support services to the Diepsloot Combined School (DCS). Services provided by Edu Fun volunteers include English lessons, health screenings, school uniform mending and career guidance. In addition, the Edu Fun Further Education Project (FEP) provides moral and financial support to around 30 undergraduates - all former matrics from DCS.

Avril and I share membership in a social and charitable group in Joburg called WOW (Women of Worth). The women of WOW are both expats and permanent residents and we are united by our love of South Africa and a deep desire to make a difference in our adopted country.

WOW has recently cooperated with EduFun on the establishment of an endowment fund with the University of Pretoria to provide a varsity bursary for a qualified girl from DCS who wants to study Maths or Science at the university.

I was hoping Ros might be able to help tutor the students during the critical early years in high school. In grade 10, students must make a choice and decide whether they want to continue studying higher level Mathematics for the remainder of high school. Their choice in grade 10 will directly impact their options and acceptability later on for further study at university in fields that require Mathematics.

I agreed to accompany Ros to the DCS so that she could meet Avril and Priscilla Maluleke, the head of grade 9. During our visit, Ros and I were also given the opportunity to volunteer with grade 4 and help with their regular study of grammar and reading.

First an Edu Fun volunteer explained what our duties and objectives were. We would help the children identify the rhyming words in a poem and emphasize the sounds the vowels make. Another exercise involved understanding present and past tenses of verbs. 

I see where the Fun comes from in Edu Fun! I really enjoyed my interaction with the 4th graders I met. (And thanks to Miss Helen for being such a great table leader!)

I am happy to report that Ros has agreed to offer an ad hoc workshop during the coming school break for DCS grade 8 and 9 students who have an interest in improving their Mathematics skills. In addition, starting in January she will volunteer as a teacher's aid in the 9th grade Maths class to help the students with their comprehension and homework. Hopefully if Ros can help spark a better understanding of Maths, it may inspire some of the students to continue studying higher level Mathematics beyond grade 10.

And this weekend is the sold-out WOW benefit WOWTOWN, an evening of Motown, Music, and Motors, where 100% of the proceeds from the entrance ticket as well as the silent and live auction winning bids will go towards endowing the WOW scholarship fund. Wish us luck in raising lots of money for a worthy cause. Ain't no mountain high enough!