2020 THE YEAR OF ACCELERATION
THE YEAR OF ACCELERATION
Vision
Christel House transforms the lives of children by breaking the cycle of poverty.
Mission
To help impoverished children become self-sufficient members of society, Christel House provides robust RR – 12 education, character development, healthcare and nutrition, family assistance, career guidance and job placement.
Values
Respect, responsibility, independence and integrity are organisational values that guide the work of Christel House.
2020 was a year like no other that any of us had ever experienced. We learnt about the novel coronavirus, and its disease, COVID-19. We experienced the loss of loved ones, job losses, a halt to the normal running of our schools and businesses, food insecurity and we saw hardship and suffering. As a non-profit organisation, a school and a key building block in the communities we serve, we had many challenges to face. We decided early on that the only way to do this was to adapt. We consciously made a choice to view the year as an accelerator into the 4th Industrial Revolution, as opposed to a disruptor.
*Please note: images of students who are not wearing masks were taken while they were at home or before national COVID-19 protocols were in place.
Swallowcliffe Drive, Ottery, Cape Town, South Africa, 7800 | Phone: +27 21 704 9400 | Email: info@sa.christelhouse.org
NPO number: 017-044 NPO | PBO number: 130001018 | NPC number: 2001/012349/08 | 100% Black beneficiary base
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR
2020 was not the year that any of us expected, and it tested the Christel House staff, students and parents like no other could have. I am incredibly proud of the quiet, focussed and determined way that Christel House set about providing educational and community support services, through a multitude of innovative channels and platforms under incredibly arduous circumstances.
However, it would be trite and untrue to suggest that this response was anything other than damage limitation. Perhaps the two most irritating homilies of 2020 were: “We are all in this together” and “This, too, shall pass.”
The sad reality is that while we may all “be in this together,” we are not in this together equally. Christel House students, past and present, come from the most vulnerable communities and backgrounds. That vulnerability has been exacerbated and cruelly exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. For all that Christel House has done to continue to deliver education and support to our students and their families, we know that 2020 did not allow us to be as effective or impactful as we have in years gone by.
While I do not disagree that “this, too, shall pass” it totally misses the point that 2020 passed for different people in different cycles of their lives.
For our students, especially those in the higher grades who were readying themselves for matric, the COVID-19 hiatus created the most enormous hurdles for them to overcome. Leave aside the uncertainty of how and when the exams were completed, the practical disturbances to normal education routines and disciplines have had a significant impact on outcomes and grades for the class of 2020 and for the next couple of years to come. Our students do not get that education, that time or opportunity back easily or lightly.
Surely the question for all of us who are in a position to help is what are we doing now and in the medium term that recognises, addresses and attempts to remedy the damage done by the pandemic to the youth of our country? It is the realisation by the Christel House Board and Leadership Team that what we have done is simply not enough that sets us apart. While we appreciate and laud the brave, valiant and heroic efforts of our staff and their efforts to continue to teach under these circumstances, we also know that in reality, this is the band-aid that simply covers the far greater wound.
Christel House has been successful because of our deep and long-term investment and understanding of the communities we serve. Drawing on this experience has never been more important than it is now as we seek to mitigate the longterm damage done to those who can least withstand it.
Your support of Christel House, in the past, present and future, in this toughest of times is essential, as we stand shoulder to shoulder to make a difference.
Ian Russell Chair
House SA
CHRISTEL HOUSE CONTRIBUTES TO NINE OF THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:
Christel
CEO’S YEAR IN REVIEW
Twelve months ago I sat at my desk, sharing the Christel House dreams and ambitions for 2020. We introduced our “Future Focus” theme to build preparedness for 2030. We announced our plans to work towards a 1:1 device ratio, expose more learners to robotics and coding, and build selfreliance as a key character strength.
Little did we know what challenges the year 2020 would bring. COVID-19 became a household word, masks became a daily accessory and not shaking hands became a sign of respect as new social contracts were crafted. Sadly, COVID-19 claimed many lives in 2020, and we would like to express our heartfelt condolences to those who lost their loved ones.
Counterintuitively, working from home happened seamlessly, for ourselves and our children. While we remained focussed on our core work in social transformation through education, we sharpened the focus of decision making through our #peoplefirst lens.
Despite the devastation that the coronavirus had on the world, we decided early on to view the realities the pandemic brought as an accelerator for our work in social change, as opposed to a disruptor. Our classrooms became Zoom rooms,
our kitchens issued food parcels, rather than food, petrol money became personal protective equipment (PPE) money. When we educated ourselves about how a non-living, microscopicsized thing (a virus) can replicate and control our lives, we called that the living curriculum. We learnt about zero-based websites, how to optimise data usage, we put intention to the development of Ziva, our custom-built Learner Management System (LMS) and our students were thrown in the deep end as “self-reliance” was not a goal anymore, but a survival tool.
Mid-year, we received another blow in the form of news that our founder and chief philanthropist, Christel DeHaan, passed away after an extended illness. We found strength in knowing that our greatest gift was being enabled to continue her vision and legacy. Our teachers and support staff did not stop to draw breath. They worked harder than ever to ensure as seamless a transition as possible for our learners as they received their tablets, data and workbooks, ready to enter this unknown world. Our “new normal” included a committed parent body who jumped in to become teaching assistants in our virtual classrooms.
As we entered a very uncertain world, we received so much support from our funders, our Board and
Christel House International – from foresight, to funds, to advice, to opening doors. We would not have been able to succeed this year without this unquestioning support. Shifting gear to address critical support nodes allowed us to introduce food programmes and eWallets to our most needy families; and emergency relief parcels to our neighbours in Freedom Park.
This year we are elated with our matric results, especially considering the challenges our students faced – a 100% matric pass rate and 80,5% of our students received a bachelor’s pass. This means that eight out of every ten of our matric students qualify to go to university, our ultimate step in helping them become selfsufficient citizens.
Looking forward to 2021, we remain committed to working towards building a new normal, widening our impact and sharing our ethos to help build a better, stronger South Africa.
Adri Marais Chief Executive Officer Christel House SA
2020 GRADE 12 STATS
100%
Grade 12 pass rate
80,5%
Bachelor’s pass
31
Academic subject distinctions
4th 100% Math Literacy pass rate Economics distinctions
91,3%
Mathematics pass rate
5 4
7
Business Studies distinctions in the Western Province for Economics and Business Studies
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ADRI MARAIS
Chief Executive Officer: Christel House SA
Experience: Business Development, Tertiary Education and Social Transformation
BART PETERSON
President & Chief Executive Officer: Christel House International
Experience: Former Senior VP, Eli Lilly and Company; Former Mayor of Indianapolis
PROF. LINDA RONNIE
Education Committee
Experience: Dean of the Faculty of Commerce at UCT; Education and Transformative Education specialist
BRIAN STOCKS
Audit and Risk Committee
Experience: Director of Companies; Retired Executive Chairman of Sun International Vacation Club and Southern Sun Timeshare
* Thank you to our exited board members, Derrick Petersen, Wrenelle Stander and Zakariya Hoosain for their support and contributions during 2020. Stephen Ross exited our local board to join our international board.
IAN RUSSELL
Chair: Christel House SA
Experience: Author, Speaker, Advisor. Experience in Business, Finance, Corporate Governance, Marketing, Communication and Technology
BABA MOGASE
Marketing & Nominations Committee
Experience: Business and Marketing specialist
CHRIS BUCHANAN
Marketing Committee
Experience: Director at Dell; Experience in Sales, Marketing, Emerging Markets
WAYNE HULL
Marketing Committee
Experience: Digital Transformation
Operating Director, Private Equity, US; Global Experience in Digital, Technology, Marketing and Private Equity Value Creation
DR. CLAUDIA MANNING
Education Committee
Experience: Director of Companies; Experience in Education and Private Investment
OTHER CHRISTEL HOUSE SCHOOLS AROUND THE GLOBE
JAMAICA
UNITED STATES
UNITED STATES
INDIA MEXICO
CHRISTEL HOUSE INTERNATIONAL
Christel House South Africa is one of eight international Christel House schools across the world. Just like Christel House SA, our other schools also dealt with challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic head on by implementing COVID-19 protocols, distributing food to communities, hosting socially distanced events and delivering tablets and worksheets to students.
2020 AT A GLANCE
SUNDAY, 15 MARCH 2020: President Cyril Ramaphosa officially declared a national state of disaster due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and at midnight on 27 March 2020, the country entered a complete lockdown.
We were ready. Christel House is more than just a school. We provide a host of critical services to our children – from daily nutrition to healthcare and social services. With this in mind, Christel House leadership, teachers and staff implemented a robust strategy to ensure that our students had access to sufficient educational resources, health and food supplies, and social support.
Each student received a food and hygiene hamper on the last day of school. We also identified 300 of our most at-risk and destitute families, who received support in the form of a small stipend of R100 per week (paid via eWallet), from the start of April to the end of September. With the help of our generous donors, we successfully raised R1.7 million to directly provide additional support to our families.
CLICK TO SEE HOW OUR FAMILIES THANKED DONORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT
1 APRIL: Our Principals officially activated our remote learning curriculum. Our Junior School Principal, Ms Carol Kriel and High School Principal, Dr Ronald Fortune confidently led our teaching staff through a very uncertain period and implemented an innovative remote curriculum that was on par with the best schools in the country. Our students received the best tools, skills and teaching assistance, which in turn minimised academic and psychosocial disruption.
Our Junior School students received printed workbooks to take home. Our teachers kept in close contact with our parents via WhatsApp (sending voice-note instructions) to provide assistance and ensure that the students complete their daily and weekly tasks.
Our High School students were issued with donated tablets, SIM cards and weekly data bundles to ‘Zoom’ into their classes and complete their assignments. The cost of data remains extremely costly, and we continue to seek more affordable solutions in 2021.
1 JUNE: We opened our education doors again for the Grade 7s and 12s. The entire school was sanitised prior to the students’ arrival and plans were put in place well in advance to ensure that all of our health and safety measures adhere to national and international standards.
On the first day back at school, students received masks and pre-packaged meals; temperature testing and screening protocols were in place; classrooms, buses and toilets were sanitised; and students received a full brief on safety and social distancing rules.
JUNE – DEC 2020: Once permitted, all students were allowed back to school on a rotational basis and we kept tight reins on our safety protocols for both students and our staff. Despite the many challenges that 2020
CLICK TO WATCH OUR STUDENTS WORKING FROM HOME CLICK TO WATCH A 2-MINUTE VIDEO OF THEIR FIRST DAY BACK
brought, Christel House SA continued to persevere and show great strides in future-proofing our students, as we had promised to do in 2019.
• We were deeply honoured to once again be selected as the only Microsoft Showcase school in the Western Cape and one of only four in South Africa for 2020 – 2021. This year’s schools were particularly commended for their dedication to education transformation, allowing them to effectively manage the transition to remote and hybrid learning scenarios during the COVID-19 crisis.
• Congratulations to our 12 Christel House SA staff and educators who received Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert status. The Microsoft programme consists of global educators who make use of technology as a way of improving learning within a classroom. They are lifelong learners and believe in constant innovation.
• The need for a 1:1 student-to-device ratio became even more pressing in 2020. Thanks to the generosity of our donor, Dell Technologies, we will start the 2021 academic year with sufficient devices for each student to have dedicated access to their own device, streamlining time-on-task immensely, with no logistical shifts and setup needed between classes.
• We officially launched coding as a compulsory subject in our Junior School (grades 1 to 6) in 2020. Despite some disruptions to classes in terms two and three, due to COVID-19, each grade had one hour of coding scheduled per week. Students are thoroughly enjoying learning this new skill, which is key in future-proofing their careers.
While 2020 proved to be a year filled with tribulation and sometimes tragedy, we are proud of the way that our staff and learners rose to the occasion and turned it into a year of triumph.
CHRISTEL DEHAAN
One of the greatest tragedies of the year under review was the loss of founder, stalwart supporter and friend to each child at Christel House, Christel DeHaan. Christel passed away after a long illness on 6 June 2020, surrounded by her close family and friends. She was 77.
Born in Nördlingen, Germany, in 1942, Christel emigrated to the United States at the age of 20. In 1974, at age 32, she co-founded the timeshare business, Resort Condominium International (RCI). Under her leadership, RCI grew into a global enterprise, with offices in 38 countries.
In 1996, she sold RCI and in 1998 established Christel House International with the goal of transforming the lives of impoverished children around the world. Christel House SA’s roots date back to the early
2000s, when Christel visited the country to establish the first Christel House school in Cape Town.
Carol Kriel, our Junior School Principal, recalls how she and many of the other staff went door-todoor to recruit the school’s first students. To their amazement, many parents were very sceptical about this new private school for underprivileged students that ‘did not cost a cent.’ As Carol explains, “No one could believe that there was this person who was going to do all these amazing things for their children.”
Today, there are eight Christel House institutions worldwide, collectively serving over 5 000 students and graduates every day. Thanks to Christel’s careful planning, the work of Christel House will continue to be supported through funding from the Endless Success Foundation, created by her estate. It was her wish that all Christel House general and administrative expenses be covered in perpetuity. This allows all donor investments to continue to directly serve the programmes and services needed by Christel House students.
On 25 June 2020, our staff, students, alumni, board members and partners paid tribute to Christel in a special video on Facebook Live, sharing memories, messages and music.
Three Christel House SA alumni, Megan Maphike, Samuel Davids and AbduDaiyaan Floris, recorded a special rendition of the song, ‘Go the distance’ by Michael Bolton, in Christel’s memory. The trio originally sang the same song for her when she visited the school in 2016, which brought her and many of the school’s students to tears.
Our school commemorated Christel’s birthday on 20 October 2020, by commissioning a special painting by one of our talented alumni, Toy-Yiebah Cupido, who is currently in her third year at The Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. Toy-Yiebah shares Christel’s love for art as well as her passion for introducing children from underprivileged communities to this discipline. She is extremely grateful for the opportunities that Christel DeHaan and Christel House provided her. The painting is proudly hanging in our main office building, where students, staff, donors, friends and guests can view and admire it.
We mourn the passing of our founder, but we also celebrate her life, as we know that her legacy lives on in the hearts of thousands of children and young people across the world. Staff around the world take comfort in being enabled to continue her legacy through their work.
“To care, to share, to make a difference”
– Christel DeHaan (Founder) 1942 – 2020
CLICK TO WATCH THE ALUMNI SINGING AND HONOURING MS
CHRISTEL DEHAAN
WHY CHRISTEL HOUSE WORKS
WHY CHRISTEL HOUSE WORKS
In 2019 we commissioned the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) to conduct an independent study on the e cacy of the Christel House model. Our model was looked at through three lenses: (1) the results we achieve compared to other schools; (2) the culture and practices we implement; and (3) how successful we are at improving the social mobility of our alumni. The results of the study proves that Christel House SA works. Our students consistently outperform their peers. Our teaching and learning are agile and innovative; our school culture and practices are empathetic and loving; and we have a deep understanding of the home-school nexus. Although our alumni are young and face many barriers to social mobility, our employment success rate surpasses the national average by almost double.
In 2019 we commissioned the Human Sciences Research Council to conduct an independent study on the efficacy of the Christel House Model. Our model was looked at through three lenses – that of the results we get, the culture and practices in the school and a trajectory for our alumni social mobility.
OUR
STUDENTS FACE MAJOR BARRIERS TO SOCIAL MOBILITY
YET OUR RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
44% 7% of Christel House SA alumni completed a tertiary education only
Weak economy that cannot a ord to mentor its young entrants VS ? ?
Lack of social capital of youth aged 20–24 in the Western Cape have any tertiary education1
Strong competition for few jobs stacked in favour of those with better networks
Lack of agency
Christel House SA’s results were far better than township schools, better than established commuter schools with only elite model C schools outperforming our results
of Christel House SA alumni were working, studying or doing both at the time that the report was published
Christel House SA's National Senior Certi cate performance consistently exceeds Quintile 5 schools (schools that serve the wealthiest communities)
Christel House SA’s literacy and numeracy pass rates are on average
93% that of government schools DOUBLE Undue burden of responsibility towards community and family
HOW DO WE DO IT?
WE INVEST 19 YEARS OF SLOW AND PATIENT CAPITAL INTO EVERY CHILD
Unique language immersion
Multilingual celebration
Understand socio-emotional and socio-cognitive development
Early start (now Grade RR)
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching assistants in foundation phase
More school days per year
Extended school day
Curriculum innovation
Full career curriculum
Trauma informed practices
Parent education
Teachers understand student challenges
HOME-SCHOOL NEXUS
Build social capital
Teach three languages
Parent volunteering
SCHOOL CULTURE AND PRACTICES
Social worker support
Multi-disciplinary team
Love and compassion for students
Six workshops per year
THE MAGIC OF CHRISTEL HOUSE SA
COST PER CHILD
Christel House SA offers no-fee scholarships to students from some of Cape Town’s poorest neighbourhoods and support them for 19 years (Grade RR to Grade 12 and five years post school) through character-based and career focused education. Key aspects of our holistic model include daily transport to school and back, professional health care, nutritious meals, psychosocial counseling, family assistance and college and careers planning and support.
THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE
All of our students are bussed daily to and from 20 communities, including Langa, Philippi, Hanover Park and Manenberg. The communities we serve battle unemployment, poverty, crime, gangsterism, domestic violence and drug abuse on a daily basis.
As a vital part of our model, we offer free, daily transport to all our students to school and back home. This not only ensures the safety of our students, but also directly contributes to our high attendance rate of 93%. We only contract reliable, local community entrepreneurs to further support local economic development.
THE CHRISTEL HOUSE MODEL
THE CHRISTEL HOUSE MODEL
WE PROVIDE ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS:
EDUCATION
COMMUNITY OUTREACH & SERVICE LEARNING
SOCIAL SERVICES & COUNSELLING
NUTRITION
TRANSPORT
HEALTHCARE
SPORT & EXTRA-MURAL ACTIVITIES
LEARNING MATERIALS & UNIFORMS
COLLEGE & CAREERS PROGRAMME (age 17+)
CAREER
Higher education support
Bursary applications
Interview training
Stipends
Graduate mentoring
Vocational training
Learnerships
Job placements
SECONDARY EDUCATION (age 13 − 17)
GUIDANCE
Leadership programmes
Critical thinking
Articulating thoughts
Portfolio of achievement
Sex & gender education
Individualised career development
Evidenced citizenship
CHARACTER
The Christel House values are: respect,
Christel House’s holistic model is designed to transform the lives of impoverished children. We do this by focusing on the “whole child”. We do not just educate, or feed, or provide health care—we do all these things. We develop the total child.
Christel House’s holistic model is designed to transform the lives of impoverished children. We do this by focusing on the “whole child”. We do not just educate, or feed, or provide health care —we do all these things. We develop the total child.
PRIMARY EDUCATION (age 6 − 13)
EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT (age 4 − 6)
Early leadership development
Independent project work
Intrinsic motivation
Abstract thinking
ICT proficiency
Careers exposure
Service learning: giving back
DEVELOPMENT
responsibility, independence & integrity
Character & Habits of Work (CHOW)
English immersion
Creative play
Perceptual development
Numeracy development
Gross & fine motor skills development
Careers introduction
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
Grade RR: The child must turn ve years old in the year they will attend our school.
Grade R: The child must turn six years old in the year they will attend our school.
Grade 1 – 10: The child must preferably have achieved a code 6 or 7 in maths, English and Afrikaans/IsiXhosa.
Financial need: The child’s family must be able to prove nancial need. Total household income may not be more than R1 500 per person in the household per month.
Location: The child must preferably be a permanent resident in one of our catchment areas.
GRADUATE SUCCESS
JAMIE-LEE ADAMS
Class of 2014
Social worker, Jamie-Lee
Adams, started Grade 1 in 2003 and has since graduated, earning a degree in social work. She recently ended a contract as a school counsellor and is considering a return to academia to complete a degree in psychology.
She explained that “Christel House SA showed me that the cycle of poverty can be broken. I chose my career because I knew it would allow me to create change in other people’s lives and to empower and encourage resilience in others. I want to have a positive impact on others, like Christel House had on me.”
She added that not only did Christel House encourage her academically, her mother furthered her studies to become a teacher, and her father was also able to secure a better job. “Christel House really had a wonderful ripple effect on my family,” she smiled.
DEAN LEO
Class of 2009
Dean joined Christel House SA in 2002 and graduated in 2009. He studied Sports and Coaching Science and later taught physical education at Christel House SA. Following in the footsteps of a father figure, Dean joined the South African Navy in 2013. Christel House helped him to apply to college and to the South African National Defence Force, where he is currently employed.
Dean is stationed in the Democratic Republic of Congo for one year in a United Nations peacekeeping operation for the protection of civilians against rebels. He says, “When I return to South Africa, I plan on buying my first house and my mother will come to live with me. I’m giving back to Christel House through donations and plan to continue to do this.”
RUCHIN JULIES
Class of 2009
Ruchin Julies matriculated from Christel House SA in 2009 and studied Building at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). He graduated from CPUT in 2014 with a National Diploma and is currently employed by the City of Cape Town as a property valuation data surveyor in the Valuations Department.
AMANDA NDWE
Class of 2014
Amanda, who hails from Langa, matriculated in 2014 and has recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a triple major in Geography, Environmental Sustainability Studies and Tourism at the University of the Western Cape. In her spare time, Amanda tutors English online and has also begun to mentor young people from local schools. She is quick to explain that she has continued to embody Christel House SA’s values, implementing the holistic approach in her tutoring and coaching.
ALUMNI WHO GRADUATED IN 2020:
Even though 2020 was a challenging year, seven of our alumni persisted and finally completed their diplomas and degrees, with three completing their Bachelor of Law Degrees.
• Kelsey Meyer: University of Western Cape, LLB
• Gugu Ncapayi: University of Western Cape, LLB
• Moegamat-Taariq Salie: University of Western Cape, LLB
• Kristen Goezaar: Red and Yellow, Diploma in Digital Marketing
• Asiphe Sipoko: Nelson Mandela University, Advance Business Studies: Management Practices
• Landa Sifile: University of Cape Town, Postgraduate Diploma in Management
• Viwe Qhetesele: Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Tourism Management Diploma
CAREER DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION
One of Christel House’s unique interventions is its career education and exposure. From the moment students begin their time at Christel House in grade RR, and for five years after graduating with a matric certificate, they receive personalised guidance and support through our College & Careers programme.
Traditionally, the Career Development team interacts with students and alumni face to face, but 2020 changed all of that.
In the Junior School, the annual career day took a new and exciting turn. Alumni gave Zoom presentations to our youngsters, met with them online and sent them encouraging WhatsApp messages.
At high school level, students are grouped into 16+ careers areas or industries, according to their personal career plans. Normally, they have the opportunity to develop their competencies through career workshops, questionnaires, visits to workplaces, and subsequent curriculum vitae (CV) and report writing.
The ‘career learning journeys’ offered by the programme include online visits to companies to see how they operate, and these proved popular, but the highlight of the year was a virtual speed interview event. Human resource professionals from leading organisations interviewed the school’s Grade 12 students, with the goal of preparing the students for the new world of work by honing their interview skills.
“This event aimed to give our Grade 12 students some experience in compiling their own CVs, conducting themselves professionally in interviews, and having the opportunity to talk one-on-one to experienced professionals,” says Louise de Marillac st Julien, Career Development Manager at Christel House SA.
A
In 2020, our alumni hosted virtual workshops on personal finance, brand image, CV writing and the changemaker challenge. Our alumni leadership committee has been established with the aim of coordinating alumni activities and involvement with our students. It is of critical importance that our students have positive role models who are drawn from local communities – and who better than their peers in the form of previous students.
CLICK TO WATCH A VIDEO OF OUR LITTLE ONES HERE
CLICK TO WATCH
VIDEO OF THE EVENT HERE
VALEDICTORIAN — CLASS OF 2020
“You have made it through the fire and like a phoenix, you have risen from the ashes.”
Congratulations to our Class of 2020
Valedictorian and our top matric achiever, Zahrah A., from Manenberg who achieved six distinctions. Zahrah plans on pursuing a degree in PPE Humanities: Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Cape Town. Her dream is to become a diplomat and help solve global issues.
“To the class of 2020, I would like to say, you’ve made it! You’ve survived a global pandemic, a national lockdown, a brief period of load-shedding, a few earthquakes, an economic recession, and the harsh circumstances we have had to experience in our personal lives. You have made it through the fire and like a phoenix, you have risen from the ashes,” said Zahrah.
Zahrah thanks her family, particularly her mother and her aunt who were her inspiration and her teachers who always encouraged her to work hard.
2020 PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Our students continued to perform well above the standards of public schools throughout the country.
NOT IN EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION OR TRAINING (NEET)
Christel House SA students also came out at the top of the entire Western Province for the following subjects:
4TH PLACE BUSINESS STUDIES
4TH PLACE ECONOMICS
18TH PLACE AFRIKAANS
“I started doing the soup kitchen because I noticed a need for it and I simply couldn’t do nothing when there are people who don’t have anything. It’s also part of our school’s core values, so I try to lead by example.”
– Mr Randall Daniels, Christel House SA Engineering Graphics and Design and Technology teacher
UNSUNG HEROES
When lockdown was announced, many of our teachers and staff members knew that there would be families right on our school’s doorstep, and further afield, who would need support. Breadwinners were losing their jobs and families were left helpless without food and basic provisions. A number of our teachers and staff went above and beyond to help neighbours in need. Here are two of those remarkable stories.
Mr Randall Daniels, the Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) and Technology teacher at our High School has been actively involved in supporting the nearby Freedom Park informal settlement in Ottery since joining Christel House in 2006. He taught students to give back, and sharpen their culinary skills at the same time, by asking them to bring a vegetable to class. Together, the class prepared nourishing soup and distributed it in the community on a weekly basis.
During lockdown, Mr Randall provided meals three times a week for 100 families in both Freedom Park and Jim se Bos, another community in the area. With support from Christel House, Mr Randall’s project received a generous donation from a benevolent donor (who preferred to remain anonymous). The funding enabled him to provide most Freedom Park families with bulk food supplies and emergency relief over several of the darkest months of the pandemic.
Ms Wendy Woolf, a Grade 7 teacher at Christel House, has been involved with the Freedom Park community for the past 21 years.
With funds donated from friends and family at the start of lockdown, Ms Wendy helped to start Operation Freedom Park, which provided the community with three meals per week that included a sandwhich, soup and bread or a cooked meal.
A team of local ladies were mobilised to prepare the food each week and it was distributed to those in need. On Christmas morning, Ms Wendy and her family and friends also treated 150 Freedom Park children to party packs, and distributed baby and teenage packs to parents.
“It is a privilege for my child to be at Christel House. The teachers really went out of their way to support and encourage our children every day. They checked in every morning and they sent guidelines for the work for the day.”
–Ronel Bosch, parent of a Grade 6 student.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ALL OUR STAFF
2020 proved to be a difficult year with many challenges. Our staff members, the heroes who kept our school going, deserve a special thank you. With our Principals leading our ’new normal‘ teaching methods, our students only missed two school days for the entire year and the education that they received, although it was behind a computer screen or protective desk screen, was of the highest quality as always.
Our operations team were also on the ground doing the hard yards. The team was responsible for maintaining our hygiene and safety protocols, sanitising classrooms, fumigating buildings when needed. Our bus drivers dropped food off at neighbourhoods that were volatile at times. Each department worked tirelessly to ensure that our students were fully supported.
We salute all of our staff – they are the embodiment of the values and ethos that Christel House SA promotes.
A PASSION FOR THE ARTS
We are proud of our world-class art programme that has and continues to produce talented artists. Our founder, Christel DeHaan’s biggest passion was ensuring a brighter future for the students who attend Christel House, but her other passion was the arts. Many of our students might not have discovered their love and talent for art, had it not been for Christel’s own passion. Her house was always proudly decorated with students’ art from all the various Christel House schools.
Grade 11 student, Rameez M., who lives in Manenberg, is a keen artist and in spite of schools opening and closing due to lockdown regulations, he completed a painting of a springbok for one of the school’s long-standing donors, who already enjoys an extensive collection of art produced by Christel House students.
Rameez would like to study civil engineering after school, but enjoys painting in his spare time. He says, “Art inspires me and makes me feel relaxed and free. It also keeps me away from getting involved in negative activities. It rejuvenates my creativity and gives me a feeling of tranquillity. Art makes me happy.”
“Art inspires me and makes me feel relaxed and free. It also keeps me away from getting involved in negative activities.”
SOCIAL SUPPORT
Christel House SA’s Social Services Department is critical to the school’s success – the team’s one-on-one communication and human interaction is key to the provision of healthcare, psychosocial counselling and admissions support to our students.
When President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster in March and our school had to close its physical doors, our priority remained the well-being of our students. As such, we put innovative plans in place to ensure that they still had medication, food and 24/7 access to a counsellor or a social worker.
Their efforts included:
• Telephonic consultations by counsellors and social workers with students to find out how they were coping and to offer support.
• A successful fundraising campaign spearheaded by the marketing and fundraising team provided needy families with eWallets to purchase food and other essentials for six months. The social services team identified 300 families in greatest need and managed the distribution process, with the help of the operations team.
• Our Social Services team also produced engaging parent booklets as educational resources to parents. The booklets contained valuable information about the COVID-19 pandemic, best practice tips on how to prevent infection, advice on how to deal with the pressures of the lockdown, and practical ways on how to support one’s family during these challenging times. As always, character education and values-driven activities anchored the work.
• The 2021 admissions applications were made available online, moving away from physical forms.
In December, the Social Services team hosted an intimate, socially distanced year-end parent appreciation event to acknowledge our parents for the exceptional role they played in supporting the school, including volunteering when needed.
Congratulations to the Social Services team and their supporting departments, who made a huge contribution to the school’s successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
EVENTS IN A TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING
BRIDGING THE WEALTH DIVIDE BY JOINING FORCES
DERBY DAY
Four schools in Cape Town with diverse economic backgrounds participated in the Simunye (‘we are one’) Derby Day on Saturday, 14 November. This provided an opportunity for children to meet on equal ground to foster relationships, build a foundation for understanding, respect and acceptance, with the end goal of bridging the country’s unequal wealth gap.
Students from Die Duine Primary in Lotus River, Mzamomtsha Primary in Driftsands, Rondebosch Boys Prep in Rondebosch and Christel House SA, engaged in games, deep conversations, exercises and an exciting go-kart race on the day. “Our intention is to bring students from all walks of life together, so that we can remove barriers and ultimately build bridges for the youth, our future leaders,” explained our Junior School principal, Carol Kriel.
BRIDGE THE DIVIDE TECHNOLOGY CAMPAIGN
With the pandemic closing schools around the world, Christel House students needed the tools to transition to e-learning. That meant purchasing hundreds of tablets, computers and WiFi data packets to facilitate remote learning. With determined leadership from the Christel House International Board of Directors and Christel House Indianapolis Board members, a “Bridge the Divide” technology campaign was launched. Thank you to all the supporters from around the world who generously responded to our ask and helped to keep Christel House’s students learning.
1 770 devices were provided to students
CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE 2020 DERBY DAY!
EXCITING PROJECTS UNDERWAY
GRADE RR
For the first time in Christel House SA’s 20-year history, we will be welcoming 60 grade RR students (4-year-olds) to the school. As is widely recognised, the formative years of a child’s life are the most important. Therefore, expanding our Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme to include Grade RR classes is an important step towards removing the many barriers to success that our students face. Construction of our three new Grade RR classrooms was completed at the end of 2020.
SIYAKHULA (‘WE GROW’)
In partnership with Tsebo Group, we are relocating a small-scale farming project, Siyakhula, to our campus. Launched in 2017 as a social enterprise initiative, the project consists of 15 tunnels and a pack house, which employs 10 to 15 employees (the majority being students’ parents) and produce vegetables to be supplied to the local market. The farming project will also be integrated into our curriculum and once it is profitable, Christel House and our immediate community will benefit.
MATRIC STUDY INTENSIVE
Our Matric Study Intensive focuses on preparing our Grade 12 students for their final year examinations by offering a comprehensive and structured learning support programme and a space where they can study. For many of our students living in the poorest townships in Cape Town, finding a safe, quiet space to study at home can be a serious challenge. This is why we are repurposing our multipurpose hall to include suitable and functional ’pop-up dorms’ to host our grade 12s. We received Council approval in December and construction of the project will start in Term one (2021) with the hope of housing our grade 12s for their final year exams within the facility as soon as April 2021.
SOLAR PROJECT
Our school received a generous donation of a new solar power system by CHEP, a leading international supply chain solutions company. The purpose of the photovoltaic solar system, which includes 110 solar panels – powering 45-kilowatts of energy – is to reduce our school’s carbon footprint, to save on electricity costs and to provide back-up power during load-shedding. In conjunction with the roll-out of energy-saving LED lights across the school, we estimate to save approximately R15,000 per month on our energy bill. This is a considerable step towards improving our own sustainability and lessening our impact on the environment.
ZIVA
A Learning Management System (LMS) is a powerful educational platform designed to give educators and students a ‘living curriculum’ that is accessible anytime, anywhere on any device. Our very own, customised LMS, called Ziva, is under development by Christel House SA and Steltix, an international IT services and software company with a passion for e-learning.
The LMS is unique to Christel House SA as it offers our comprehensive character-based and careerfocused pedagogy – which are vital components when positioning the platform as a solution for students from under-resourced communities. The system combines Microsoft Office 365 tools and functionalities to provide educators, students and administrative users with an integrated system to create personalised and collaborative learning environments.
ABRIDGED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
Operating Expenses
Operating Surplus/(Deficit)
Investment
STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
from
Receipts from Donors
Payments to Suppliers & Employees Cash Generated from Operations
Income - Interest
Costs Net Cash from Operating Activities Cash Flows from Investing Activities Property, Plant & Equipment Acquired Intangible Assets Acquired
Surplus or Deficit on Disposal of PPE Net Cash Utilised in Investing Activities
in Cash & Cash Equivalents
& Cash Equivalents - Beginning of Year
& Cash Equivalents - End of
The audited financial statements were compiled in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards for
Sized Entities and in the manner required by the Companies Act of South Africa 2008. The registered auditors were Mazars, Cape Town. The complete set of audited financial statements is available on our website: www.sa.christelhouse.org
FINANCES
INCOME
Where our resources came from
INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
61% 37% 2%
R48 528 355 INVESTMENT INCOME R1 443 839 LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND OTHER R29 040 901
How our resources were used
4% ADMINISTRATION COSTS R2 606 428
8% FUNDRAISING COSTS R5 589 840
88% SCHOOL PROGRAMMES R62 813 027
All Christel House SA’s administration, finance, marketing and fundraising costs are covered by Christel DeHaan’s Endless Success Foundation.
SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
Together we are breaking the cycle of poverty and building self-sufficient, contributing members of society.
A & A Shuttle Services
Actuarial Society of South Africa
Adam Friedman
Adri Marais
Amdec Group
Andrew Krause
Ann Kreitzer Will Trust
Anonymous donors
Anonymous Foundation
Aongus Hegarty
Bernadette Thomlinson
BlackRock
Blue Label
Telecommunications
Buccanneer School Shoes
Cape Grace Hotel
Cape Island
Capitec Foundation
Charles Abrahams
CHEP
Christel House Europe
Christel House International
Christel House SA staff payroll
giving
City of Cape Town
Claudia Manning
Coach Matika
Comair
Coronation Fund Managers
Cow Hills Retail
CTV
David Knee
Dell Technologies
Dina-Marie Birkenstock
Donaldson Filtration Systems
Dream Hotels and Resorts
Ebrahiem Hendricks
Eliot & Myra Osrin Charitable Trust
Elspeth Donovan
Europcar
Explore More Travel
FD Logistics Services
FedEx Services
Flickswitch
Flight Site
Focus
FoodForward SA
GivenGain
Green Shoots
Growthpoint Properties
Harry Crossley Foundation
HCI Foundation
Hear In Africa Audiology
Helen Blakemore
Independent Schools
Association of Southern Africa
Industro Clean
Intercoiffure
Investec Private Bank
Jane Notten
Juliet Ferraz
Julius Baer Foundation
KFC Add Hope
Klaus and Monique Lucke
Koppel Charity
Lansdowne Clinic
Laser Logistics
Lectorsa
Leela Moodley
MAD Leadership Foundation
Mapula Trust
Martin Flaig
Maryvonne Palanduz
Mazars
Metrofile
Microsoft
Mobile Guardian
MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet
Naked Insurance
Nick and Sandie Green
Noakes Family Charitable Trust
Paper Video
Peggy Grueninger
Peninsula All-Suite Hotel
Peninsula Schools Feeding Association
Peter and Pirjo Carr
Peter Edmondson
Philanthropy Initiative with Employees of Allan Gray
Pick n Pay
Platform 5
Randall Daniels
RCI South Africa
Rebecca Hurst
Reinsurance Group of America
Richard Lindes
Roche
Rothko
Rupert Education Foundation
Scott Bader
Shereen La Fleur
Speargroup
Spec-Savers
STAT Books
Steltix
Stephen Ross
Stewart van Graan
Telviva
The Shaughnessy Family Foundation
Thesele Group
Tjaart Esterhuyse
Tri Marine Acceptances
Tsebo Group
Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation
United Technical Equipment
Uthando SA
Vunani and Fairheads Foundation
Wayne Hull
Wescape Charters & Tours
Western Cape Education Department
Young Presidents Organisation
South Africa
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Help transform a life by supporting Christel House SA. Together we can break the cycle of poverty.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Make a monetary gift to Christel House SA. A 100% of your contribution benefit our students as all our overhead costs are covered. Donations are tax deductible and eligible for BEE points as a 100% of our beneficiaries are Black. To donate, visit: sa.christelhouse. org/donate/
FELLOWSHIPS & SCHOLARSHIPS
Change a life by sponsoring the costs of one student’s schooling. Become a Christel House Fellow by supporting the student from Grade RR to Grade 12.
VOLUNTEER
Help feed our children, coach sport or read in the library. Your time and skills help develop our students and grow new talents.
INTERNSHIPS & JOB PLACEMENTS
Your expertise can help our graduates become contributing members of society.
IN-KIND DONATIONS
Sponsor our students’ books, stationery, uniforms, sporting equipment and more. To view our annual wish list or read upon how you can get involved, visit: sa.christelhouse.org/aboutus/ways-to-get-involved
OVERSEAS?
Christel House is also a registered charity in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Mexico and Jamaica — so please get in touch with us to assist you in making an international donation to Christel House SA.
