Local Partners
Good Work Foundation Justicia Digital Learning Centre (JDLC)
In addition to the SLT’s flagship community partnerships, we support key local partners including the Good Work Foundation (GWF), who provide access to online digital learning hubs in the rural villages, adjacent to Singita Sabi Sand.
SLT was a primary sponsor for the local GWF Campus - JDLC - outside Newington Gate - between 2018 and 2020, and now partners with this campus as part of a broader collaboration.
GWF’s innovative programmes include:
- An Open Learning Academy that supports English, Mathematics, and e-learning access from Grade 4 (aged 10) and up.
- A Bridging Academy that prepares high school graduates to step into the job market or further education. In addition to IT and communication training, student counsellors provide detailed career guidance.
- Further accredited training, aligned with local community needs, is available at the GWF’s Conservation, IT, and Travel and Tourism Academies.
Previous projects successfully supported by the SLT
Teaching and Technology
Without access to technology, teachers and learners at many rural schools are at a significant disadvantage. In 2015, the SLT committed to bringing the benefits of digital learning to the communities near Singita Sabi Sand. We first partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Mpumalanga Department of Education in a Teaching and Technology project that equipped all 19 primary schools in the Ximhungwe district with satellites, connectivity and numerous laptops, tablets and projectors.
- More than 300 educators completed educational technology and literacy courses via an e-learning platform and received facilitator-led Microsoft training.
- In 2018, the teaching and technology initiative was fully integrated into the Mpumalanga Department of Education’s programming.
Xikupe Farm
David Shilabi started his career as an environmental clerk at Singita more than 20 years ago. In 2013, he pursued his own passion for farming with formalised mentorship support provided by the SLT from 2017-2019. David successfully established a small-scale farming operation he became a casual supplier of fresh produce to Singita’s lodge and canteen kitchens, as well as selling to the local community.
Dreamfields
Many school children in South Africa, especially in the rural areas, don’t have the opportunity to play competitive sport and reap the lifelong benefits of participating in a well-organised team activity. The SLT partnered with Dreamfields, to provide 19 local schools with soccer and netball uniforms and equipment, offering workshops for coaches and referees, and organise leagues and stage annual tournaments.
Key Successes
In 2021, the JDLC reached 619 school-aged learners through the Open Learning Academy and 70 young school leavers through the Bridging Academy, a noteworthy accomplishment amid the pandemic and Covid-19 restrictions.
“The power of access to digital education to transform the lives of young people in rural African communities”
Local Partners and Past Projects
How can I support this project?
Your donation to the Open Learning Academy will go towards the provision of eWriter tablets and robotic kits that students learn to assemble and code.
