|
News:
-Streetwise Challenge - Oct 2009
The Ark Foundation is proud to announce its involvement in the Media 24 Streetwise Challenge in partnership with Psitek. Through this initiative, many learners in South Africa will have access to useful information that will help in their development. A number of Streetwise units will be distributed to schools throughout the country. Including rural areas. These schools have been carefully chosen to receive these units that will contribute tremendously to the growth of this country.
The Streetwise computer units will help learners gain much needed information without the risks involved in the internet. The difference with streetwise is that it offers learners suitable content that is aimed at helping them achieve their academic goals. With computers requiring more resources, the streetwise is alot less resource intensive as its portable nature allows for easy implementation of studies. The first rollout is expected to happen around February 2010
-Pupils use buckets to sit & Teacher uses door as desk - Wed 2009/03/26
While most people complain about their poor conditions, it is sometimes very important to assess your situation and to be grateful for what you have. In one of the most shocking discoveries, the Ark Foundation discovered that some pupils sit on the floor, while the teacher uses a door as a desk and a bucket as a chair. It is very hard to believe that after more 15 years of democracy in South Africa, you still find schools that are in the worst conditions ever. In another school teachers share their makeshift staffroom/storage/science/class with students leaving them with little or no privacy to go on about their business as teachers.
The undesirable conditions leave one to ask a few questions as what exactly has the government not been doing, where are the Government's development strategies focused, will Africa experience real development? The state of the so called Quantile 1 (one) no fee schools leaves alot to be desired, and when you actually look at the state of education in urban areas, one is truly led to conclude that rural areas have really been neglected from the educational development initiatives.
-The "Recession" affects company's CSI spend - Wed 2009/03/26
Due to the dire financial straits experienced by most companies, decisions have had to be taken to reduce CSI budgets, some have cut down by over 40%, This scourge has affected a number of non-profit organizations that hugely rely on these budgets, where some organisation are on the brink of closing down.
It is however important to mention that there are some companies out there who still firmly believe in giving back to the community even under poor economic climates, this are companies that deserve to be commended for their commitment to the social and economic development of our continent.
Press Releases:
-180 Pupils Get a once in a lifetime Saturday school opportunity - Wed 2009/03/26
Ark Foundation is proud to announce that 180 grade 10's, 11's and 12's will be benefiting from the Dimension Data Saturday school Programme where the pupils will receive lessons in Maths, Science and English. With this programme, the pupils have an opportunity to get a bursary from the company. The Ark Foundation would like to thank the Dimension Data team for their efforts and will ensure that measurable results are achieved. We would also like to take this opportunity to invite other parties who may be interested in helping us improve the standard of education in our country. If you would like to contribute in any form please click here to go to our contributions page or alternatively contact Mabel on +2711 431 3606 or Kudzai on 073 699 3802.
-A Call for Intervention from the Technology Sector - Wed 2009/03/26
The no fee schools that the Ark Foundation focuses on assisting, have no technology exposure or presence of computer labs. This situation leads to a large number of technology illiterate individuals or graduates. This is one of the key contributors to lack of development or rather a slow pace in development of the African continent, imagine if more people in South Africa knew how to use a computer never mind the internet.
This however can't be expected of the kids from poor communities, because such resources don't exist. The Ark Foundation hereby pleads with anybody from the Technology Sector to offer any kind of assistance to these schools | 
