Jabulani Project

Alex

The Gillespies group left yesterday. We had an emotional send off at the airport. Another chapter in my new  life now closed. The students gave me R13000 towards the Jabulani Project. I was completely overwhelmed. I thought of naming a few students who gave so generously but they all contributed. The visit to SA immediately leads to reprioritisation of needs and wants. Sustaining it is the challenge.
The trip was a great success. Neil McCallum was an excellent new leader. His staff were a great team and Marie in her last year was the usual force of nature. Her  contribution to this work has been stunning. I know she is not finished! Also impressive was Liz, Marie's sister.
 I thought the students were, as always, awesome and we all had some wonderful times together. The exstudents' presentations went brilliantly done and stimulated a lot of interest in returning next year. Well done all of you. The school Project is in safe hands.
The John Byrne Awards at the Farewell celebrations in Zwelibanzi and Dloko went really well. Nathi Mbele (ADNOTES) came up from Cape Town and coupled with the Gillespies announcements about which educators and learners were going to Scotland created a general sense of euphoria.
The exstudents have drawn up their schedule for the week. Isaac and Nathaniel have gone off to Zwelibanzi to negotiate a programme of work for there, next week. An Edinburgh Research Student, through the indefatigable Jean Cathro, has enlisted our help in looking at bilingualism. Nathaniel is taking the lead in this, taping lessons in Zulu and English. Another strand added to this evergrowing Project!