Back to School impact
Children’s lives are changing for the better thanks to E3’s Back to School programme.
How Back to School is bringing hope and opportunity to children
Find out more about Back to School and the children we are supporting. Some children who have been supported for a number of years are now going on to university.
Video: click to play
Latest Back to School video
Meet Ibrahim, a refugee who is now studying Neuroscience on a full scholarship at university in America. He made us this update video.
Video: click to play
Helen is in her third year at university studying Geography and Town Planning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. If E3 had not paid her registration fee each year, she would not have been able to study.
“Being at university is one of my greatest achievements. I'm thankful for people like you who always check on me and see how I'm coping. I am doing my best and passing all my modules. I want to be a Town Planner. I also play soccer and was selected for the university team. Thank you so much.”
“I live with my siblings and grandmother, who does her best to support me to succeed. Thank you for Life Skills – now I am planning for my future and know I need to be careful to make the right choices because I am the one that will build my life and not my friends. This year I received an award for improving in English. I want to be a doctor to help sick people to get better.”
Peter | Age 14 | Grade 9
“I want to be a teacher so I can teach the next generation so they can have a brighter future and escape the problem of being poor. I enjoy Environment Club and being part of the garden project. We learn the importance of eating veggies for our health. Thanks to the uniform, I feel confident now at school and I enjoy going every day.”
Sarah | 13 years old | Grade 6
“My goal is to become a social worker so that I can help young people who are like me. I want to thank E3 for sticking with me even though I got pregnant. I promise that I will give it my all this year just as I did last year. I am grateful to be able to return to school to complete my exams and achieve my dreams.”
Thelma | 17 years old | Grade 12
More about…
Thelma's mother says: "Despite going into labour and leaving the exam early to have her baby, Ayanda answered the majority of the questions and successfully completed her third exam. She went back to school the following day to complete her Grade 11 exams and did very well!”
“We have been monitoring attendance, grades, and behaviour and have noticed that Back to School students have increased attendance, academic performance, and confidence and engagement in school. We have started a chess club to enhance critical reasoning, problem-solving and strategic thinking. It has also fostered a sense of competition and team spirit among students.”
Kate Johnson, Project Leader at Key Ministry.
“We appreciate the support you are giving to our learners. Many children are orphaned and are being raised by grandparents or guardians, and some are raised by unemployed parents. They have various levels of vulnerability, but because of your support, they do not look like orphaned and vulnerable children. At school, they participate well and excel academically. Thank you for making such an enormous difference in their lives.”
— Bongiwe Phakathi, Chairperson of School Learner Support