Tutoring Programme for High School Students
As part of the Mastercard Foundation's 20-hour community service commitment, I, together with a team of fellow AIMS students, engaged in tutoring high school learners from Grade 7 to Grade 12, with a focused emphasis on strengthening their mathematics skills and building lasting academic confidence.
Our sessions were carefully designed to provide personalised guidance, simplify difficult concepts, and rebuild students' confidence in tackling problem-solving. We developed tailored approaches for each learner, recognising that every student has a unique relationship with mathematics and learns differently.
Over time, we witnessed remarkable improvements, not just in performance, but in attitude and self-belief. A truly humbling and rewarding moment came on our graduation day, when some of the students joined us to express their gratitude and celebrate the journey together. Seeing their growth and hearing their appreciation was a powerful reminder that mathematics, shared with passion and consistency, can genuinely transform lives.
This programme reinforced our belief in the power of mentorship and community-driven education. We remain committed to inspiring the next generation to embrace mathematics as a tool for solving real-world challenges.
Community Outreach on Hygiene & Environmental Awareness
In line with our commitment to using knowledge for meaningful community impact, I, together with Clinton Paye Quee and Ruth Naayi, under the guidance of Dr. Mrs. Rejoyce, carried out a community cleaning and health sensitisation programme in a rural area of South Africa.
This initiative was inspired by Clinton Paye Quee's Africa Scientifique project on waste management, but the implementation was a truly collaborative effort of our group. Our goal: to educate, inform, and raise genuine awareness on the critical importance of proper hygiene and waste management practices, especially in protecting the health and long-term development of children in the community.
During our visit, we interacted directly with villagers and held open discussions about how poor waste management practices, such as using open spaces as dump sites, could harm children. We focused on a specific area commonly used as a playground that had unfortunately become a dumping ground. We explained the physical dangers of sharp and toxic objects, and the long-term health effects of children continuously inhaling harmful substances.
Villagers shared their challenges openly, the absence of proper waste disposal facilities such as refuse drums, and a lack of sensitisation, were identified as root causes. Through our session, we were able to shed light on healthier, safer alternatives and leave the community with practical knowledge they could act on immediately.
In a beautiful coincidence, a neighbouring community group engaged in their own local activities warmly received us and shared food with our volunteers, a heartwarming display of the spirit of community togetherness.
We are proud of this small but meaningful impact. We believe such initiatives go a long way in improving lives and shaping healthier environments for future generations.
Mega Maths Festival
As part of the broader Mastercard Foundation Scholar community service commitment, I participated in the Mega Maths Festival, a national public engagement event dedicated to introducing mathematics as South Africa's 13th language and promoting science to the widest possible audience.
At the festival, I engaged visitors, including school children, parents, teachers, and community members, in interactive mathematical activities, demonstrations, and conversations designed to make mathematics feel accessible, exciting, and relevant to everyday life.
Participating in this event was a reminder that mathematics doesn't belong only in lecture halls and journals, it belongs on streets, at festivals, and in every conversation where we try to understand and improve the world around us. Science communication is as important as science itself.
BAOBAB Summit 2025
Selected to attend the 2025 BAOBAB Summit in Nairobi, Kenya as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar representative from AIMS South Africa. The summit, themed Nurturing the Future through Africa's Youth, brought together hundreds of young African leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, and changemakers from across the continent.
The three-day experience was rich with panel discussions, networking sessions, and conversations centred on Africa's future, from education and technology to governance, entrepreneurship, and scientific development. It offered an invaluable opportunity to connect with peers and mentors from diverse fields and countries, widening my perspective on what is possible for young Africans committed to impact.
Representing AIMS South Africa at an event of this calibre was both an honour and a responsibility. It reinforced my commitment to using education as a tool for continental progress.
