Tag Archives: Umlazi

by | October 16, 2012 · 3:16 pm

The Olympic Spirit in PPI-SA

LDP Olympics in Umbumbulu

People around the world were awed and inspired by this year’s Olympic games in London. Over the school holidays in SA, PPI brought our own Olympic spirit to our LDP program.

PPI-SA is traditionally known for hosting area vs. area games in our Leadership Development Program, and we always embrace the team concept in our events.  This past week, we decided to have some fun and bring our participants a new style of event, called “LDP Olympics.” The idea, inspired by PPI-SA fellow Kyler McClary, put participants through 10 events that tested their overall individual basketball skill set. Participants earn points for each event, and at the end of the day, winners received prizes. This style of event created great energy and competitiveness among the players.

Some of the events included hot shot, one v one, rebounding, shooting, dribble knockout, a basketball skills course, and the always entertaining “half court shot” to end the day.

During this event, Umbumbulu’s passion for basketball captivated our staff. They made it better than we could have imagined. Participants worked hard in every event, and pushed one another to be their best and compete. In basketball and in life, that’s how you make people better; the kids in Umbumbulu understand and embrace this concept.

One of the highlights for coaching staff and players was the “Sportsmanship” award, which we gave out to the player that showed the most enthusiasm, positive attitude, and heart. It came down to a final shot for 3rdplace, and Mzokhona Zungu ended up just missing

Mzokhona Zungu celebrates victory after winning an event during the LDP Olympics

his shot off the rim. The disappointment showed all over his face. When he was announced as the winner for the sportsmanship award, the last award of the day, he burst out with a mix of surprise and happiness, followed by a few tears that fell down his cheek. When you work for PPI, these are the moments that capture your heart. It may not have been a gold medal, but to Mzokhona, it meant everything.

In Umlazi, LDP point guard Sphelele Mpungose  represented women’s basketball in PPI by taking home first prize- finishing in front of all her male counterparts and winning almost every event. She is a talented and humble player with natural ability and great potential.  She has a wonderful attitude and we hope to keep her around in the PPI-SA program. Another highlight from Umlazi included 4 PPI-SA coaches taking part in the Olympics in a “coaches division”. These coaches competed in all 10 events and had a lot of fun doing it! Umlazi LDP coach Speh took home the gold.

Sphelele Mpungose (2nd from right) celebrates her first place prize with the office staff.

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by | September 25, 2012 · 2:26 pm

Welcome to South Africa: Court Spotlight

Bazamile School, Molweni

Nestled deep in the Molweni Valley, rugged hills and towering cliffs rise over the basketball court at Bazamile. Don’t let its remote location fool you, the kids that call this court home are among the most passionate hoopers in all of PPI-South Africa. Though Molweni already had a Leadership Development Programme (LDP) team, it practiced “at the top of the hill”, referring to the area of Molweni that sits on the slopes and ridges overlooking the valley. In an area where walking is generally the only transport available, the players “at the bottom of the hill”, in the valley, found it difficult to attend the LDP sessions. That’s when the players in the valley decided to take matters into their own hands and create their own LDP team. Molweni Area Coordinator Sifiso Mthembu helped the players get their team up and running and volunteered to coach them for the year in addition to performing his normal duties as Area Coordinator. Bazamile is the home court for the “bottom of the hill” LDP team, which fields both a boys and a girls side. The court is also home to Bazamile School’s boys and girls primary school teams. Members of the boys LDP team are featured in the photo above.

Ngongomisa School, Umbumbulu

To get to Umbumbulu, you drive and then you keep driving. A rural community spreading out over the rolling hills southwest of Durban, it is common to arrive at practice here to find half the team munching on sugarcane, which is seemingly in infinite supply in the region. Just as an American kid might twist open a bottle of Gatorade before practice, the kids in Umbumbulu peel off the tough exterior of the cane stalk with their teeth in order to get to the sweet, crunchy, sugary interior. It’s a nice after-school snack as they prepare to take the court for practice or games. Ngongomisa School sits at the end of a dirt road on top of one of the areas many hills. The scenery could attract tourists in droves, but it’s the basketball that brings the students of Ngongomisa to the court. On this particular day, 20+ boys and girls from Ngongomisa participated in a basketball practice that maintained incredible energy and enthusiasm from start to finish, while an additional 10 students watched and cheered their classmates on the court (sugarcane hanging from their mouths, of course). I can’t take my eyes off the views, they can’t take their eyes off the game.

Ndongeni School, Umlazi

Ndongeni is situated in the M section of Umlazi, the biggest township in the Durban area and the 2nd largest in all of South Africa. With a population of over 700,000 people, Umlazi is a far cry from the picturesque landscapes of some of the rural areas in the PPI programme. Life in Umlazi, like many townships, isn’t always easy. High levels of poverty, unemployment, crime, HIV, and drug and alcohol abuse plague many of Umlazi’s communities. Combined with a very limited infrastructure that has only recently begun seeing development, Umlazi can be a difficult place to grow up. PPI’s many basketball courts in Umlazi, including the one pictured above at Ndongeni Primary School, provide a sanctuary for kids from the day-to-day grind of life in the township. Ndongeni is the home court for four PPI teams — the boys and girls teams from the primary school and the Umlazi boys and girls LDP teams (high school). For the LDP teams, practice ends when the sun goes down, but practice always seems to end prematurely in the eyes of the players here. One gets the sense that, if the court had lights, these kids might just play here all night.

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by | September 18, 2012 · 5:21 pm

PPI-SA Brings “Winning” Attitude to Umlazi Event.

Participants take a group photo at the end of the life skills event in Umlazi.

Throughout the programming semester, PeacePlayers South Africa has a special Area-Based Activity (ABA) team working specifically on life skills events for our six areas throughout Durban. In addition to weekly life skills sessions facilitated by our coaches, the life skills event brings primary schools together from each area to enhance and highlight the knowledge that the participants have learned during the semester. Most importantly, it creates a platform where young kids have the opportunity to share and learn from each other and build relationships within and outside of their communities.

Thobani facilitates his own life skills activity, “A Winner In Life” to participants at a life skills event in Umlazi.

On September 12, The ABA team hosted a successful life skills event at Saphinda Primary school in Umlazi. The event had 59 participants from 3 different schools in the Umlazi community, Izwelesithembiso, Emthethweni and Saphinda. The theme of the event was “My life, My Game, My Success”.

PPI-SA traditionally has a unique life skills curriculum that focuses on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, and other pertinent issues affecting the youth of South Africa.  A new concept that the life skills team has been developing and implementing this semester is integrating life skills and basketball. Basketball is a force in itself in developing skills such as leadership, teamwork, communication, dedication to a goal, and many, many other skills that can prepare you for life.

Thobani Khumalo, our life skills assistant, is always finding creative ways to show young people that the skills you learn on the court are the same skills that you need to succeed in your own life. Thobani knows firsthand what the game of basketball can do for young people, and he has dedicated himself to helping others using the sport he loves.  The life skills event included one of Thobani’s own activities called “A Winner in Life”, where he made connections between successful basketball players and people who attain success in their lives.

“If you are able to play sports whole-heartedly, then you are able to chase your dreams whole-heartedly, that’s what I believe in,” Thobani explained, “Even if you don’t win the game, the effort and dedication you put in is shaping your character, and in the end, this will make you a winner”.

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by | June 30, 2012 · 2:24 pm

From the Archive: Staying Connected – PeacePlayers’ Friendships in South Africa Go the Distance

Sphelele and Nqobile during lunchtime at PPI-SA’s 1.2 Camp, held in August 2010.

This week our From the Field blog will take a look at a post from the past, on June 6, 2011, by former fellow Taylor Brown. To see the original blog click here.

During the second semester of 2010, the Molweni Female LDP team was just that – a team! In particular, two participants, Sphelele and Nqobile, were the leaders of the team. They led both vocally and through their actions; and their teammates followed! The girls worked hard on the court during their basketball sessions. During the life skills sessions, the team was open and receptive to each others’ thoughts, ideas and opinions, and also led a Community Service project at a local orphanage.

Sphelele and Nqobile were inseparable, both on and off the court. They’re best friends. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen family circumstances, in January 2011 Sphelele had to move with her family to a township an hour away from Molweni called Umlazi, the second largest township in South Africa after Soweto in Gauteng.

Fortunately, PPI-SA has a significant presence in the Umlazi community! We partner with eight Primary Schools and also have a Leadership Development Program. Our basketball and life skills curricula reaches over 240 participants each year.

During LDP tryouts in February, Sphelele approached PPI-SA Operations & Human Resources Manager Ryan Douwie, about playing for the Umlazi LDP Team in 2011. Although Sphelele’s heart still lies in her hometown of Molweni, she has adapted nicely to Umlazi and the Umlazi LDP team. She reconnects with her old Molweni PPI friends during PPI-SA’s LDP Weekends, LDP Extravaganzas and City-Wide Tournaments.

Without PPI-SA, Sphelele wouldn’t have had the opportunity to stay connected with her best friend, Nqobile, and her former teammates in Molweni. Seeing the smiles on Sphelele and Nqobile’s faces whenever they have the opportunity to reconnect is absolutely priceless – just another reason why PPI-SA is such a great organization to be a part of!

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by | April 17, 2012 · 1:32 pm

Project Management and Statistics Highlight the First LDP Home Games!

LDP players prepare for LDP weekend.

This past weekend, on Saturday April 14, 2012, PPI-SA held its first round of official home and away games for its 2012 Leadership Development Program. Umlazi had home court and hosted Molweni at Sapphinda Primary School. In the other girls and boys games, Lamontville hosted Umbumbulu at Bhekaphambile Primary School. Being the first LDP games since our season opening LDP tournament, all participants were eager to play some basketball!

However, two of our teams were able to get some game action in before Saturday.  PPI-SA LDP Boys teams from Lamontville and Molweni represented PPI-SA in the Durban High School Easter Tournament, where high school teams throughout Southern Africa competed for the title. It was a great experience for 2 LDP teams to compete, and we applaud the effort of PPI-SA coaches for getting their teams into the tournament, as funds and transport are a consistent challenge that our areas face.  The teams were able to play 4 games against a variety of opponents. It is an achievement in itself to have PPI-SA, and its respective communities, represented in these larger national tournaments!

In LDP, more emphasis is put on community outreach projects and fundraising in order to build leadership skills and create more awareness of PPI-SA in the local communities.

Week 1 of the LDP Home and Away games consisted of a life skills portion and basketball games.  The Life Skills was an information session focused on project management and planning.The players were given basic project management skills and important steps for planning successful community outreach events, which will count toward their team’s point totals at the end of the semester. It is the hope of PPI-SA that these kinds of projects will hone vital skills and our participants will be able to use these experiences in LDP to help them in the “real world”.

Area Coordinator Sifiso helped execute the LDP weekend hosted in Lamontville

In addition, for the first time in both girls and boys games, a pilot was done to take individual statistics for field goals, free throws, rebounds, assists, turnovers, blocks, and steals.Individual statistics are an underdeveloped function of basketball here in SA. Individual and team statistics reveal an incredible amount about the game and the players themselves. Statistics will be given to each LDP coach to relay to their team. The statistics will help show where the teams need improvement, and help our LDP program grow as a whole. The pilot was a first step and served as a baseline, in which we will continue to improve our methods to make statistics more relevant in the LDP program.

We thank everyone involved in this weekend’s activities and look forward to the second round of games for LDP in the coming weeks.

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by | March 6, 2012 · 2:32 pm

PPI-SA Dishes Out an Assist to the Spur Soccer Challenge in Umlazi

PPI coach talking to students about teamwork.

On Wednesday, February 22nd, PPI-SA was proud to be a part of the Spur Soccer Challenge held at King Zwelethini Stadium located in Umlazi. As a mini technical assistance project, PPI-SA was asked to run the life skills component of the camp for over 400 primary school students in the area by the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. The mission of the camp was to develop soccer skills, and also to deliver an innovative life skills program created by Gill Taylor, The Training and Development Manager at Cape Town’s Sports Science Institute. 10 PPI-SA staff members were trained to use specific teambuilding activities to create a platform to discuss important values such as trust, enthusiasm, ambition, and motivation.

Ntobeko running a life skills session at the Spur Soccer camp in Umlazi

Participants had the chance to participate in soccer drills and games, which alternated with the life skills sessions run by our enthusiastic and energetic PeacePlayers -SA staff!

Present at the camp was Desiree Ellis, who played for the South African women’s national soccer  team, Banyana Banyana. She received a Silver Presidential Sports award for her efforts in raising the profile of women’s football in South Africa. She was a great role model for the students to look up to!

The initial launch of the camp was a great success.  Even better, is that Spur is giving the students the opportunity to continue to play! They have set up a league where schools will play one another in competitive games. This will ensure they will continue to develop their skills. PPI-SA is proud to have been chosen to help with this wonderful event. Thanks to Spur and everyone involved for a great day!

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by | February 28, 2012 · 2:20 pm

My first Week in Durban with PPI – South Africa

PPI – SA’s newest Fellow, Kristin Degou, teaches life skills to a group of primary school students in Umlazi.

This week’s post is the first written by PPI – South Africa’s newest Fellow Kristin Degou, who we introduced you to last week.

It has officially been one week since my arrival in Durban, and I have already learned so much about the country of South Africa, the city of Durban, and the lively culture here. My trip to Durban started off very special, as I arrived on my birthday! After about 24 hours of traveling, I was met at the airport by current PPI fellow Taylor Brown and Nasiphi, an area coordinator for PPI. They brought me beautiful flowers and a necklace. It was a small, yet extremely meaningful gesture that shows how the PPI family cares about one another, (even the new fellows!)

My first full day in Durban consisted of a tour of the city with my (excellent) tour guide, current fellow Taylor Brown. We took an elevator up to the top of Moses Mabhida Stadium (the soccer stadium built for the world cup). From the top I was able to see a beautiful view of the unique Durban skyline. I was also able to see a PPI-SA tryout at Glenmore Primary, one of our 33 partner primary schools.  I have arrived at an exciting time, as our tryouts and programmes are just starting! Seeing the excitement on the children’s faces, and the enthusiasm of Nasphi as she helped coach, was a great reminder of what had made me want to work for PPI-SA in the first place. I am already in love with the way PPI as a whole has harnessed this sport and used it as a positive influence for so many children.

An LDP coach runs a tryout in Molweni.

I have done so much in Durban so far, but I will share a few highlights of my first week! I was able to attend a staff meeting, where I was introduced to the PPI- SA staff and learned a lot about what was going on in all of PPI-SA’s different areas. On Wednesday, the PPI-SA staff was asked to help teach life skills to over 400 primary school students at a camp in Umlazi. There I learned about the Zulu- cultures love of music and dance, the kids couldn’t stop dancing, they blew me away! I tried to learn some moves, and many laughs were shared by all. I have been lucky to play basketball in a variety of settings already, including an outdoor court built by PeacePlayers in Molweni, pickup basketball at Kearsney College, (with some members of the South African national team!) and also with our own PPI-SA staff.

I am both grateful and humbled by this opportunity to live and work in this vibrant city. PPI- SA is ready to do some great things and I am excited to be a part of it. Thank you to everyone in the PPI family for welcoming me and for the support of all my wonderful friends and family at home. Working for PeacePlayers is the opportunity of a lifetime; I can’t wait to put my heart and soul into it all.

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by | January 24, 2012 · 2:35 pm

Who’s Who in the Zoo? Getting to Know Sifiso Cebisa and Bonge Dube, PPI-SA’s Newest Area Coordinators

This week, PPI Fellow Taylor Brown interviews PPI-SA’s newest staff members, Sifiso Cebisa and Bonge Dube, who are very excited about their new roles within the organization.

Sfiso Cebisa, PPI-SA's new Area Coordinator for Lamontville.

Taylor: What has been the impact of PPI-SA in your life so far? How long have you been a part of the program?

Sifiso: At the age of 12, my Father passed away. I had no one teaching me how to grow as a man and how to have a positive impact on my community. My friends and I went to LDP tryouts in Grade 10, and at that time I didn’t consider myself a “good kid”. When PPI came into my life, everything changed. I saw a place where I can have a say without people laughing at me. PPI’s “Family” slogan really appealed to me and offered me the opportunity to share my personal life with my PPI friends and coach. I participated in LDP for 2 years, and in 2008 I became a Primary School coach at Excelsior Primary School in Lamontville. I have been coaching in the Leadership Development Program and Primary School Program since, and now in 2012 I have become the Area Coordinator for Lamontville.

Bonge: I started as a participant in Grade 6 at Mzuzu Primary School in Umlazi and then I played for LDP in Umlazi. In 2008 I started coaching at the Primary School level at Mthethweni Primary School in Umlazi and then coached at iZwelesthembiso Primary School for three years from 2008 to 2011. Now, beginning in 2012 I’m the Area Coordinator for Umlazi.

I’ve learned so much from PPI; how to coach and how to facilitate with children. I still have to learn what Area Coordinators do, and I’ve already learned so much these first two weeks. I love working with children and how to educate them about HIV/AIDS, as this allows me to contribute positively to my community.

Bonge Dube, PPI-SA's new Area Coordinator for Umlazi.

Taylor: Congratulations on earning the position of Area Coordinator with PPI-SA! What are some of your plans for Lamontville and Umlazi this year?

Sifiso: I’d like to get the Lamontville Primary School participants to take basketball very seriously and use it as a platform to be a part of the Lamontville Leadership Development Program team. I’d also like to encourage the parents to get involved in the Lamontville program and to host basketball tournaments that bring in teams from other areas in Durban.

Bonge: I want to participants to learn more about Life Skills, specifically around HIV/AIDS and peer pressure, and also for them to reach their goals and further their studies. I’d also like our participants to be more involved in basketball, since doing so helps them to avoid doing bad things.

Taylor: What’s your favorite thing about PeacePlayers?

Sifiso: My favorite thing is that “we are family”. I love that everyone comes from different backgrounds, but treats each other the same, regardless of race, religion or gender. There are so many people within the PPI organization that I look up to now as role models, that are also my friends.

Bonge: The tournaments. Having so many kids (nearly 1,000) together – playing, having fun, learning and growing together.

Taylor: If you could have a meal with one person in the world this Saturday night, who would it be?

Sifiso: Definitely LeBron James, because we have a lot in common – he also grew up without a Father and he worked hard to get where he is today. Also, he’s the best basketball player in the world, who also works hard to make a difference in the community.

Bonge: Sfiso Ncwane (a South African gospel singer) because his music inspires me!

Taylor: Thanks, guys, for your time and introducing yourselves to the readers of the PPI blog. Looking forward to a successful year and some new energy in the Lamontville and Umlazi communities! Best of luck with your new roles with PPI – SA!

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by | November 22, 2011 · 3:33 pm

Circumcision + HIV = ???

Over the course of the past 5 years, advanced medical research through experimental trials has proven that male circumcision can reduce a man’s risk of becoming infected with HIV during heterosexual intercourse by up to 60 percent. This has lead to the World Health Organization and UNAIDS to recommend circumcision as a new form of HIV prevention. This week, PPI-SA’s Senior Life Skills Coordinator, Ntobeko Ngcamu, shares a very powerful story about his circumcision experience at McCord Hospital, who through PEPFAR, USAID and the South African Government, are offering free “same day” circumcision surgery for South African males.

For the past few years, the message was out. Everyone was talking about HIV & circumcision– clinics, schools and the radio (specifically Gagasi FM) was spreading the word about the opportunity for a free circumcision procedure at McCord Hospital in Durban. For the past 6 months, I was trying to find the strength to go through with the procedure. The thing that scared me the most was that you needed to complete an HIV testing and counselling session beforehand. Luckily, I had have been through this experience before with Zoe-Life, a PPI-SA partner, and their counsellors. My nervousness about going for testing comes from the fact that I live in the township of Umlazi, which has some of the highest rates of HIV infection, and that there is a “3-month window period” with current forms of HIV tests, meaning that if I were to contract HIV within the 3 month period of going for testing, it is likely that a positive result would not be displayed. In my opinion, this is also the thoughts and feelings of other South African males, preventing them from going to get circumcised.

As a part of my job as a Senior Life Skills Coordinator at PPI-SA, I was spreading the word about circumcision to our staff, coaches, participants and partner school personnel, while also discussing the topic with friends and family. I wanted to be able to educate people about the advantages of circumcision and be able to answer any questions they might have.

On November 7, 2011, I go to McCord Hospital and am instructed to sit in the Administrative Area with the 40 person limit in the waiting room.

I get there early because if I’m number 41, I won’t be able to go for surgery that day. I end up being number 40.

We fill in our personal biographical details. At this point, no one is talking to each other – it’s very quiet – you could hear a pin drop. We wait 45 minutes to an hour with no one speaking to one another, fearful of what is about to happen with our upcoming individual HIV counselling and testing session.

I then move to the reception area, waiting to go to the counselling session for an HIV test. Patients will go upstairs to proceed with the surgery (if negative), or out of the counselling room (if positive). If positive, the patient will then take a test to measure their “CD4 count” and come back in 7 days for the explanation of the results.

Next, I move to the “Theatre” waiting area. Orientation – We get a brief orientation explaining the advantages of circumcision and how to properly take care of yourself after the circumcision. I then went into the surgery, which lasted only 15-20 minutes after receiving the anaesthetic from the Doctor.

Once you’re done with circumcision, you get “review dates” to see that everything is going as planned after the procedure.

Review Date 1 – November 9th – I meet with the Doctor to make sure that the healing process is going as planned and the bandage is removed. All people that received the surgery that day are back together and individually consult with the surgeon. A person in the waiting room next to me shares the following:

“I can’t wait until I leave here and recover from surgery because now I’ll be able to go have sex with a woman that I love and she’ll be less likely to leave me and sleep with other men, because sex will feel better for her if I don’t wear a condom.”

Review Date 2 – November 14th – I meet with the Doctor individually again to makes sure everything is still going smoothly with the healing process. Overall, the process takes 6 weeks and I have two more visits scheduled with the doctor. A different patient shares the following:

“I can’t wait until I recover from surgery. Since the festive (holiday) season is approaching, I think I’ll be able to sleep with at least 10 different women over the next 2 months. Since I’ll be circumcised, I’m less worried about contracting HIV so I’m excited to have unprotected sex with as many women as I can, and more women will likely have sex with me now that I’m circumcised.”

There is significant room for improvement in what McCord Hospital, PEPFAR, USAID and the South African Government are trying to achieve with their mass circumcision initiative. People are not getting circumcised for the right reasons. In reality, based on people’s attitudes and perceptions from the government program, it is quite possible that the actual number of HIV infections could be higher than if nothing were done.

People need more information and it needs to be delivered in a proper manner. I suggest that during the waiting times in the Admin and Waiting Rooms, there can be educational workshops increasing the knowledge and awareness of the benefits of circumcision. There is no use delivering this message in an unprofessional way, 5-minutes before going in to the circumcision surgery, since our minds at the point are only thinking about what is about to take place with the surgeon’s scissors… A facilitator should educate the patients in a professional way, and then a group discussion could be had where everyone can have the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and feelings in a supportive environment. I think there would be a very positive impact on the patients if this happened.

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Ntobeko. We understand that this was a difficult story for you to share with the public, and doing so speaks volumes about your leadership. We hope that your story informs and inspires readers and all PPI stakeholders, encouraging them to make positive, responsible decisions for their own personal health!

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by | November 1, 2011 · 1:33 pm

Leadership Development Programme League Wraps Up

From the onset, Molweni’s LDP teams dominated the basketball court with offensive precision and defensive prowress.  Their ability to play as a team on and off the field for the past three months earned them first place with a vast margin of victory.  Umbumbulu followed in 2nd place, Umlazi in 3rd, and Lamontville in 4th.

The LDP league consists of several categories, each division able to earn points for their team and area.  Teams earn points individually for wins and losses and as an area for best weekly attendance and successful community projects.  This time around, Umbumbulu, generally the area with the  least consistent attendance due to extensive travel to area schools and basketball courts, earned first place in semester attendance.  The dedication, in the end, paid off.  In the last week of program activity, Umbumbulu hosted two community projects, earned highest weekly attendance, and won 3/4 last games to earn 2nd place in the LDP league. Well done, Umbumbulu!

Umlazi and Lamontville also improved their performance in the last weeks of semester, increasing attendance and keeping the attendance at a consistently high percentange, an issue we’ve had to battle with for years.

A side bit of information down here in South Africa, 12th grade seniors are pressured to perform exceptionally well in the classroom to earn high Matric exam results; if they fail, the rest of their life might as well be spent on the streets.  ‘Matrics,’ (Seniors), quit all extra curricular activities and focus purely on studies, spending every extra hour and weekend in the classroom preparing for exams.  At the end of the exam period, each Matric student’s grades are posted in the major newspapers.  In America, scores are posted by school, allowing districts to proudly boast, if the case, their testing scores.  In South Africa, Matric results are posted by the individual’s names.  This practice has sparked major controversy recently.  Unfortuantely, many failing Matric students, having seen their results broadcasted for all to read, commit suicide under the mounting pressure and embarrasment.

As the LDP program, we preach a healthy balance of academics and extra curriculars, in hopes all our students are able to manage their time effectively.  Our matric participants usually attend when they can, though have shown a vast improvement in attending our practice, events, and community projects, all in the name of earning points for their LDP area.

The LDP players are off until program resumes in February.  In the mean time, they’ll be studying hard and competing to participate in provincial and national tournaments. Congratulations to our participants and good luck in the rest of the semester!

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