Chair Report

“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.” This old adage is one which neatly fits the Christel House ethos, and is one upon which the success of the school depends. The engagement of our students with the academic curriculum, the arts agenda and the sports arena at Christel House never ceases to amaze me.

2022 saw a welcome return to a school year that was uninterrupted by external challenges that dominated the previous couple of years, and this has enabled the students and teachers to really focus on what is important – education.

In turn, the Board has been able to draw a breath, and has been working closely with Christel House International to see how we can widen the impact that Christel House SA has on its communities. Our impact on the lives of our 1 000+ students is profound, but with a population of over 20 million under the age of 18 in South Africa, we are a pinprick of light in stormy skies.

Widening and scaling the impact we can make has become a key priority for us, and during the next few years, you will see Christel House SA very intentionally executing two key strategies. Firstly, we have developed a ‘bridging’ programme for young adults who have not been fortunate enough to have attended Christel House. This will be rolled out at scale from 2023 onwards. Secondly, we are looking to replicate the success of Christel House by building further schools in South Africa.

Just as teachers open those doors for students, so sponsors and donors open the door for Christel House to thrive. For those supporters who already invest in our dream, thank you. It makes all the difference. For those that wish to help us to build our vision of more schools and greater impact, now is the time to open your door to us and embark upon the journey of a lifetime.

Ian Russell, Chair Christel House SA