Asemahle Sentiwe was 13 years old when she first encountered Imibala Trust, a nonprofit in Somerset West, Western Cape, that works with children whose lives are affected by poverty. At that time, Sentiwe was a learner from Lwandle township in Strand. Imibala was not only a source of learning support for her, but also a place of mentorship and safety. 

Just over 10 years later, Sentiwe has gone from being a beneficiary of Imibala’s programmes to working with the organisation full time. She teaches isiXhosa, Afrikaans and English literacy to a new generation of children. 

“It’s something beautiful because … I was still a child, and I’ve grown and Imibala showed me so much love. So, I was like, why not? Let me just give my love to the kids. Because a lot of kids don’t get love from their homes, and when they are here, they feel very safe,” said Sentiwe. 

“They need love because … when you have love, you have hope.”

Learners from Christmas Tinto Primary School in Strand, Cape Town, write thank you letters to the donors from Project Education who sponsored their school uniforms through Imibala Trust. (Photo: Supplied / Imibala Trust)

The Imibala Trust has sponsored more than 80,000 children in the last 21 years, according to Theo Willemse, CEO of the nonprofit. The Somerset West centre works with 21 partner schools in the Helderberg Basin and provides 17 programmes, including a cooking school, pottery, art and ballet. Each week, 700 children come through its doors to learn and grow. 

“We have an academic setup, a learner advancement centre where we do literacy classes,” said Willemse. There is also a library and a computer centre where children can learn coding. 

Imibala Trust’s ballet dancers rehearse a routine in the organisation’s state-of-the-art ballet studio. (Photo: Supplied / Imibala Trust)

Imibala has a second centre in Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape, that caters for 350 children from seven primary schools and three high schools. 

Imibala took a “holistic approach” to children’s development, with the aim of exposing them to experiences they were unlikely to access in their communities, Willemse told Maverick Citizen. Training programmes were supported by 60 active volunteers and 26 full-time staff members. 

Children who attend the needlework programme at nonprofit Imibala Trust showcase the products of their efforts. (Photo: Supplied / Imibala Trust)

One such programme, performing arts, is facilitated by Joshua Mralasi. He said the training was intended to encourage self-awareness and development among learners. 

“We introduce them to as many new things … as we can. We explore — that will be the interaction between the children and the new material, education-wise,” he explained. 

“In drama, as a whole, we focus a lot on speech and physical theatre, basically helping them be more aware of their bodies, and just trying to infuse them with self-confidence.” 

Solomon Thomboti, the groundsman at Imibala Trust in Somerset West, Cape Town, works in the vegetable garden. The produce from the garden is used in the cooking school for Imibala children. (Photo: Supplied / Imibala Trust)

Dignity and self-esteem 

The Imibala Trust was founded by Gaynor Rupert in 2002. Its flagship programme, “Sponsor a Child”, directs donations towards providing children in need with a full school uniform, including underwear, socks, a T-shirt, a rain jacket, a tracksuit and a pair of veldskoene, according to Willemse.   

“We currently sponsor 3,000 children. The schools select the children based on their backgrounds, poverty and challenges. Then they come here [and] we treat them as clients … because we focus on dignity and self-esteem,” he said. 

“It’s only R1,400 [per child] for a whole year.” 

By providing school uniforms to children in need, nonprofit Imibala Trust can improve their self-esteem and change their outlook on life, according to Marlene Jaars, school liaison representative for the organisation. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Without a school uniform, children often struggled with low self-esteem, said Marlene Jaars, school liaison representative at Imibala. 

“The child looks down, doesn’t really think anything about herself or himself … here with us, the child gets their uniform and after that the whole attitude changes. You get a smile; the head is lifted,” said Jaars. 

“Sometimes parents would write letters to the school to say thank you, to say how grateful they are, because some of them lost their jobs during Covid. And some people are still trying to get back into the rhythm of life again after the downfall that we had with Covid.” 

The children that Imibala assisted came from impoverished communities, said Jaars, adding that role models in these environments were often thin on the ground. 

“At Imibala, we try to change their mindset to show them there are better things in life. You don’t have to sit in your circumstances at home … you can make a change,” she said. 

Benathi Xaki received academic support through nonprofit Imibala Trust as a child. Today, her studies at the International Hotel School are being funded by a sponsor arranged through Imibala. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Benathi Xaki, who was a beneficiary of the Imibala Trust as a child, told Maverick Citizen the organisation had a “huge impact” on her life and learning, providing support through assignments and access to tools such as computers that she could not find elsewhere. 

“I was raised by a single mother … [Imibala] also supplied me with uniforms — that would help my mom a lot,” she said. 

“When you are a kid and you can’t afford certain things, it drags you down because you feel like you cannot achieve anything in life. But then if you get an opportunity and a chance to prove yourself … that’s when you push and try to get a better life.” 

Sophumla Mzini’s studies at the International Hotel School are being funded by a sponsor arranged through the nonprofit Imibala Trust. Mzini said that Imibala’s support had made a big difference to her tertiary study opportunities. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Xaki, alongside fellow Imibala beneficiary Sophumla Mzini, is currently studying at the International Hotel School with funding from a sponsor arranged through Imibala. 

“I didn’t know where I was going to go [after high school] … I was still applying for bursaries and I was so confused. I was considering taking a gap year so that I can sort out my financial issues. With Imibala, they actually helped me out a lot,” said Mzini. 

It is not uncommon for Imibala to provide young people with support and direction beyond high school. The organisation’s “World of Work” programme seeks to connect matriculants with different job opportunities, bursaries or online training programmes, according to Willemse.  

“You study hard, you work hard, there’s a whole world outside there waiting for you, that you can just grab. And we’re there all the way,” he said. DM/MC