This week 324 young adults graduated from the Good Work Foundation (GWF) Bridging Academy. The significance of this graduation is huge: Every student that started the course in February 2020 has graduated and will leave with ready-to-work skills focusing on digital literacy and communication.
And while there is a new group of alumni, there is also a new group of applicants. This week, on GWF’s six digital learning campuses, prospective 2021 students were lining up to apply for the Bridging Academy. And so yes, there is movement despite the pandemic.
And while the temptation is to pat our own backs, breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate small steps forward during one of history’s most unsteady moments, we realise that, actually, all the back-patting should go to the extraordinary resilience of our students.
In some parts of the world, the pandemic was a catalyst for an accelerated move to more online learning. But for over a billion students, learning stopped in 2020. This was mostly in places where online learning isn’t a possibility, and broadly speaking, this would be true for most parts of rural South Africa.
Our students were able to adapt. They adapted to online learning. They adapted to modified curriculums. Smaller classrooms. Blended learning. Weekend learning. Catch-up learning. They adapted to not always having a facilitator present. They met our teams at “drop” locations, where they were able to collect learning content. They braved public transport. They stuck to health protocols and called out people who didn’t.
They helped each other. To say that we are proud is an understatement. Just as it is an understatement to say that we are grateful. Grateful for the overwhelming support that we received from the greater Londolozi community who collectively donated thousands of dollars to contribute to the solutions that meant that GWF students didn’t stop learning in 2020.
We are blown away, and as you can see from the graduation photos, so are our students.
P.S. We’ll be profiling some of our new students over on Instagram over the coming weeks – support them with a thumbs-up or a comment as they open up on camera.
Well done Ryan your hard work it paid off. Congrats to all the students and keep on going. It was a hard year and you were determined to finish.
Many thanks Valmai, it is always so nice to get the feedback and encouragement.
The Londolozi team, teachers, students and you Ryan have done an incredible job at the most difficult time. A person’s attitude determines your altitude. If your humble and want to learn with all enthusiasm, you will come out on top. Best of luck for 2021.
Congratulations to all the students and staff at GWF. It is a proud moment of great accomplishment for all.
Thank you very much William.
Congratulations to both these amazing students and Londolozi!
Thanks Camille 🙂
Ryan, I loved all the photos🤗
Aren’t they great!? Our Campus Managers took most of them.
Absolutely brilliant! Well done to the students who had the greatest challenge and good luck to them all going forward.
Agreed Jennifer. The Class of 2020 were extraordinary!
Students around the world have had their learning stunted. The GWF and its students have performed admirably!
Vin, what a year it was! It was such a privilege to be part of a team and wider community what got behind our young people. Thank you 🙂
Congratulations to all the students who persevered through conditions that could have derailed their learning plans, in addition to the hard work by the GWF to keep everyone moving forward.
Thank you Denise. And even though this year is also uncertain, we feel like we are carrying over some really valuable lessons.
Ryan, thanks for the update! This is truly amazing and a measure of the commitment that the GWF team has to digital learning! We feel lucky to be a part of your GWF family, and look forward to more stories about the successes of the young people that have benefited from their education!
Thank you Michael and Terri. We’re lucky to have you! There is no doubt that there is plenty of Sarasota heart and spirit behind our resilience in the face of tough times. We can’t wait for your return.
These students are really great. Congratulations to all of them. And the GWF is certainly are very good institution.
Thank you so much Christa, they certainly are great.
Great job……students and staff!
Thanks Tutu 🙂
Well done guys!
Many thanks Wian.
This is terrific news, and congrats to all the graduates and the GWF team on a job well done in historically challenging times!!!
Much appreciated Paul.
💯!! My two have had a rough, but so far successful pandemic school-wise. My oldest decided to take a well-timed break and rethink what they want to study. It’s been probably most difficult on my youngest who ended her junior if high school and is now coming to the end of her senior year – all virtually. Not what she imagined it all to be like, but the resilience she has demonstrated has been amazing. I’m most astonished with their ability to adapt to these very challenging times and still persevere with mostly joy! Reading your post reinforced the universality of this!!
Ryan, So good to see the graduates and their smiles. Well deserved for all of them. Congrats! Keep up the hard work.
Christy & Larry H.
Always so wonderful to connect with you Christy and Larry. Thank you!
That is absolutely amazing – well done to them for persevering!