Founder of Fundisa Tech is Mbulelo Njamela, who was born and bred in Port Elizabeth currently known as Gqeberha, in KwaZakhele township (Emagaleni). KwaZakhele is one of the most disadvantaged communities in the metro, where crime is rife, and there is a lack of sports & recreational facilities. This is a community which is dominated by youth unemployment, teenage pregnancy and other social ills (drug/alcohols abuse). Children going to school are from a poverty-stricken family and yet persist to go to school under such conditions.
Mr Njamela has been a teacher for a number of years and still is. He shared to us his learnings thus far and what inspired him to choose teaching and this is what he said, “I’ve learnt that teaching is a “lifelong commitment” and one needs to treat a child as if it’s his or her own. What inspired me to go for teaching was to see a few of our older brothers & sisters graduating from these dire conditions, and being able to prosper in life”. Like any passionate individual, Mr Njamela started an initiative to empower kids about the tech world we are just exposed to as a country.
Please share about FUNDISA TECH, when did it start and what is it’s aim? "Fundisa Tech “Teach Tech” is a Non-Profit Organisation based at KwaZakhele Township, (Port Elizabeth) and was formed in August 2020. Its main objective is to “bring 21st century ICT skills to our disadvantaged communities”. This can be done through offering Computer Fluency Programmes, so as to bridge the ICT gap.
Our programmes involve:
- Grade 7 Tanks Coding Project.
- Supplemental Project for Grades 12 CAT Students (Computer App. Technologies).
- The Online Microsoft Certified Digital Literacy Course for Community Leaders (Councillors, Ward Committees etc).
- Currently Fundisa is involved in the Maths & Science Support Programme. This is partnership between Mandela University Tutors & Fundisa Tech, coordinated by Lizwi Gwaza.
Your passion for CODING – where does it come from and please share about the benefit of exposing kids to coding from primary school? "The Coding / Programming concept has always been there for decades, but to our previously disadvantaged schools, it has always been regarded as a foreign concept. But with the recent developments in school’s curricula, and most importantly, the intervention of Prof Greyling from Mandela University Computing Sciences Dept and other partners, coding has become the most exciting educational “game” which every primary school pupil enjoys. I was so fortunate and privileged to be part of the TANKS powered by Tangibl pilot project for schools. The game has unlocked the minds of primary school kids to learn more about “problem solving” & “sequencing”.
How has coding influenced your teaching style and the way you do things? "Oh Yes! It has helped me to review my teaching strategies, as well as it has ignited our pupil’s minds. Personally, it has left me thinking about doing things and articulating life problems differently".
Lastly, which schools and organizations you have worked with this far to keep Fundisa Tech going? “Cowan High School, KwaZakhele High School (partner), Brandwag Hoer Skool (sponsor), Tanks by Tangibl (sponsor), Amobia Communications (sponsor), BJ Mnyanda Primary, Molefe Primary, Missionvale Primary, Soweto on Sea Primary, also more primary schools need to be introduced to coding in the Metro".