South African adventurer who’s helping children to reach new heights through education
It国产视频檚 the start of a new set of global goals and a young man is setting out his latest targets to educate youth in his community. Monde Sitole is not just any 26-year-old though.
He国产视频檚 from a South African township 国产视频 but this adventurer and educational campaigner has scaled, sailed and climbed his way across some of the world国产视频檚 highest peaks and most treacherous oceans.
And one challenge he is passionate about conquering is South Africa国产视频檚 out-of-school problem.
Monde knows all too well the struggles of education, which are a major part of the United Nations国产视频 Sustainable Development Goals from now until 2030. With the Monde Sitole Education Foundation, he is fighting to get some of the country国产视频檚 700,000 children back into the classroom.
And he国产视频檚 one of A World at School国产视频檚 network of Global Youth Ambassadors, who do amazing grassroots education work in 85 countries.
Despite South Africa having a strategy to tackle the education problem, since 2000 the number of children out of school has increased alarmingly. Also, a shocking 500,000 children with disabilities are excluded from schools, according to Human Rights Watch.
Monde believes South Africa国产视频檚 schooling problem is down to a lack of good teachers, which leads to students becoming uninspired and disengaged with the education system.
He said: 国产视频淲e want to reduce school dropouts, repetitions, illiteracy and hopelessness by fostering proactive educational means, strides and interventions that require the community and school to both be instrumental.国产视频
President Jacob Zuma recently revealed his own struggles for education and why he faced a backlash because of it.
Monde with some of the children his foundation is helping
Speaking to students on behalf of his Jacob Zuma Foundation, he said: 国产视频淚 suffered because I never went to school and that is the reason why I decided to educate myself国产视频 There are people whose business is to say that we cannot have a man who never went to school running a country.国产视频
However, Monde is dedicated to tackling the education problem and is already bringing the benefits of learning back into the hearts and minds of children growing up in and around his home town of Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
Speaking about the work of his foundation, Monde said: 国产视频淲e had a pop-up chess tournament at the mall on the 20th International Children国产视频檚 Day to raise awareness about right to a quality education that allows youths and students the skills, values to better champion, pioneer their lives and influence their own destinies.
国产视频淲e walked the whole of Khayelitsha bearing lanterns and commence at a spot where we will plant a tree as a sign and vow that our future depends on us to move forward and pioneer.
国产视频淭hen we mounted a billboard with faces and portraits of people who are making relevant change in the community. After we sign the petition, we will do this annually, inviting schools with faces of change ambassadors to share their story as inspiration to spark a culture of dreaming.
国产视频淲e host a series of educational and innovation showcases for the public because our other goal is to create a relationship between school and community. As Africans say, a child is raised by a whole village.国产视频
Monde has had a varied life already. He attended classes on board a tall ship school that sailed from Nova Scotia to various parts of the world, including Brazil and Trinidad. He was chosen to represent Africa in the international Pangaea Mike Horn young explorers camp in Switzerland.
He has climbed Africa国产视频檚 highest peak Mount Kiliminjaro, Mount Elbrus in Russia and Alaska国产视频檚 Mount Denail 国产视频 the highest in North America. Now he国产视频檚 got his sights on skiing to both the North and South Poles.
Monde is a supporter of A World at School国产视频檚 #UpForSchool campaign
But for now he国产视频檚 concentrating on education. With high out-of-school levels in some regions of South Africa, Monde refers to the education situation as 国产视频渕urky国产视频 and knew he had to do something.
He said: 国产视频淵oung people had lost any interest whatsoever for education. They saw no need or had no incentive to go to school because the school were not engaging, inclusive and had not integrated a pragmatic聽approach to teaching that saw schools making a meaningful impact in their lives.
国产视频淓verything they were learning was just theory in the textbooks and had no linkage to quality of lives they envisage. That in turn spurred a culture of hopelessness and despair.
国产视频淚t国产视频檚 very murky times but it国产视频檚 now time for innovation more than anything.国产视频
Monde will continue to inspire and help children achieve their educational goals, as well as taking on his own personal challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro again.
He said: 国产视频淚 am going to Mount Kilimanjaro for the third time, this time on behalf of quality education by raising funds for our Imbewu scholarship.
国产视频淚 am also going to K2 without bottled oxygen 国产视频 not because I国产视频檓 superhuman but because I always say mountains are not stadiums where they satisfy my desire to achieve but are the very cathedrals where I practise my religion.
国产视频淚 carry the suppressed dreams of every township kid in my backpack.国产视频