MaP Student Wins Gold Award at Karate Championships

X

Category: News

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

Mohammed won the Gold award from UKAF

MaP student Mohammed Ali Hussain (4J) is a Karate enthusiast, who, through The Waheeda Project, has shared his skills with underprivileged boys in Botswana. He recently travelled to Cameroon for the Union Federation of African Karate Championships, where he won a Gold award for Team Kata. The team won a total of seven medals, surpassing their goal of bringing home four medals.

”The feeling of standing on the podium was incredible and unforgettable but when I heard Fatshe Leno La Rona, the Botswana National Anthem, my heart melted and I got emotional. The feeling of receiving a prize for my country is inexplicable,” said Mohammed.

Mohammed training the boys of HGM Children’s Home

”The Waheeda Project is a youth empowerment programme that aims to provide young men and boys with life skills, as well as introduce them to inspirational youth, such as Mohammed. The Waheeda Project currently works with eight boys at the Hajee Goolam Mustapha (HGM) Children’s Home in Bontleng. Mohammed visited the home to teach the boys the basics of Karate. He treated them with love and respect; he encouraged and inspired them. The boys enjoyed their time with Mohammed and were overwhelmed when he gave them parting gifts, which comprised of things they need. Mohammed is an example of what youth today should aspire to be: skilled, humble, and respectful, with a strong sense of philanthropy. We wish him every success in his future endeavours and we look forward to the next time he visits us.”

~ Dr Noorain Lottering, Co-Founder, The Waheeda Project

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

Ms Julia Metzger

This week, the MaP community bids farewell to Princeton in Africa Fellow Ms Julia Metzger, who joined us a year ago as a teacher in the Maths department. In her time here, Ms Metzger made a true impact on her students, as described by Sekani Fichani (2M) below:

”We just want to say thank you. You have been a source of inspiration and motivation. Working under your leadership was the most fulfilling moment of my life. I started liking Math because I was getting good at it. I remember the first time I went home with an overall A on my blue card. I showed my dad because I was so excited and just over the moon. Because he knew that I was not that good with numbers my dad was like, ‘ARE YOU SURE THIS IS YOUR BLUE CARD?’

I said, ‘Of course it is mine!’

“Are you sure Ms Metzger didn’t switch your card or something?”

That was the last time my dad said that because he got used to me bringing As in my blue card. For that, I thank you. Because of your teaching methods, I got to enjoy playing around with numbers. In my whole 11 years of school (including pre-school), I have never seen brownies used to teach, let alone Oros. You used Oros to make us understand Math. From then on, I don’t look at Oros as just a beverage, I look at it as a teaching aid.

You should know that we respect you a lot because you are so smart and a very nice person. You treated us with respect also. I somehow know that you are going to go on to be a professor at one of the Ivy League universities so I will be in your class again when you are Professor Julia Metzger. I wish you endless happiness and love.

Goodbye to a great mentor!”

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

Marc de Fontnouvelle

This term, Maru-a-Pula welcomed Marc de Fontnouvelle, who is on exchange from the Roxbury Latin School in Boston, Massachusetts. Over the next four weeks, Marc will experience life as a MaP student, attending classes and participating in service, enrichment and physical activities.

”My name is Marc de Fontnouvelle and I’m a 17-year-old student from the Roxbury Latin School in Boston, Massachusetts. I’m an avid actor, who hopes to direct a play next year. I’m also a musician and composer, playing the mandolin, piano, and guitar and singing. I enjoy exploring mathematics and learning languages. During my stay at Maru-a-Pula, I am sitting in on upper sixth form science classes, working as a Teacher Aide in the Maths Department, playing with the U19 Basketball team, playing and singing with musical groups, and getting to know the monkeys on campus.”

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

This morning (7 June 2017) Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited (BIHL) donated Pula 200,000 to Maru-a-Pula School’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Fund. BIHL has been making contributions to the fund since 2010, in support of academically gifted students, who do not have the means to attend private school. To date, BIHL has donated Pula 1,400,000 through this partnership, which is an extension of MaP’s SPE program. BIHL PR Manager Tebogo Keepetsoe presented the cheque to MaP Principal Mr Andrew Taylor.

Emmanuel Molefi is one of tens of students who have benefited from the OVC Fund. On completion of his studies last year, he wrote a letter to Mr Taylor where he noted: ”I am greatly thankful for the clothing, school uniform, sporting outfits, pocket money and toiletries provided for me during the course of my time here. Staying in the boarding house allowed me to study in a quiet place. This would have been a different task to carry out if I were not a boarder. For that I am grateful; for providing me with the basic necessities.”

Today, Emmanuel is working for the school as Teacher Aide, while awaiting for the outcome of university applications. He hopes to one day be able to change lives through computer technology. He shared his appreciation with the BIHL group by saying, ”Thank you for your support. It is through your support that we are able to better our lives.”

Read Emmanuel’s letter here.

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

From left: Louise Tinti (4M), Otsile Phirie (4M), Macha Martin-Camus (4K), and Yue Tong Zhang (4K)

This term, Maru-a-Pula welcomed Louise Tinti and Macha Martin-Camus, who are on exchange from École Alsacienne in Paris, France. They are being hosted by Oratile Phirie (4M) and Yue Tong Zhang (4K). For the next two months, Louise and Macha will experience life as a MaP student, attending classes and participating in service, enrichment and physical activities.

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/2″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

Louise Tinti

My name is Louise Tinti. I am 15 years old, from Paris, France. I am an exchange student at Maru A Pula for two months (from the 12th May to the 8th of July). My exchange partner is Otsile Phirie; she is in form 4M. I’m interested in art, and sports, especially dance and volleyball. I am expecting this cultural and linguistic exchange to open my mind to the culture and traditions of Botswana. These are the same values that I would like to share with Otsile when she comes to France. So far, I’m really satisfied with my experience here; I have met great people and discovered many things. I hope it will continue until I leave. Thank you to everyone for your warm and friendly welcome,

[/cs_text][/cs_column][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/2″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

Macha Martin

My name is Macha Martin-Camus and I am from a family of lawyers. We are originally from an area near Switzerland, and are, therefore, fond of law and skiing! The name Macha was inspired by Chekhov but I cannot speak a word of Russian! I play the violin and enjoy all kinds of music, from Rap to Opera. I also love sports. I joined MaP because I wanted to be part of a responsible community. Botswana’s open and multifaceted culture truly fascinates me. I believe it has a lot to teach to us in France. I strongly believe that mixing cultures, not imposing one on another, can improve societies through the exchange of ideas.

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

From left: Ms Busi Radebe, Mr Tebogo Radebe, Ms Carole Gumede, Ms Cherae Stalley, Ms Natasha Bambo, Ms Molebi Mokotsi, and Ms Rosa Ann Brandt

MaP welcomes seven students enrolled in the Drama for Life program at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).

From the 29th May – 2nd June, Wits University students Ms Rosa Ann Brandt, Ms Molebi Mokotsi, Ms Natasha Bambo, Ms Cherae Stalley, Ms Carole Gumede, Mr Tebogo Radebe, and Ms Busi Radebe, are visiting the Maru-a-Pula campus to host workshops for MaP’s drama students. During their stay, they will teach students theatrical techniques to help them prepare for the annual school production Under the Baobab Tree and Other Stories. Through these workshops, students will be able to practice what they learn in class and apply it to real-life situations.

According to their website, Drama for Life is ”an independent academic, research and community engagement programme based at the Wits School of Arts.” Their mission is to ”enhances dialogue for purposes of social transformation through research, teaching and learning, and community engagement.”

 

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_image type=”none” src=”https://www.maruapula.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/GEAStudents.jpg” alt=”” link=”true” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=””][/cs_column][/cs_row][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/2″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

Mr Federico Mele, Co-Founder

Mr Federico Mele founded the Global Economic Awareness Project (GEA Project) in 2015 to pursue his dream of empowering young students with the vision and economic awareness necessary to make a positive impact on their communities. In the last year, Mr Mele has launched workshops in India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Botswana, and South Africa, leveraging the strong commitment of several young professionals, who work for leading firms in the United States. Federico graduated with a Masters in Economics from Boston University, where he was the president of the Undergraduate Economics Association. A native of Rome, Mr Mele has worked in Boston, London, Rome, Brussels and New York, where he is currently a strategy consultant focused on mergers & acquisitions.

[/cs_text][cs_text]

Mr Niklas Carling, GEA Leader

Mr Carling is a strategy consultant currently based in New York, where he focuses on advising corporate and private equity clients on their strategy, and mergers and acquisitions. A native of Finland, Niklas has extensive international experience, having worked in his home country, as well as Sweden, South Korea, and the United States.

[/cs_text][/cs_column][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/2″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

Ms Valeria Giachetti, GEA Leader

Ms Giachetti is a Business Analyst at Boston Scientific, a leading medical devices company, based in Boston, Massachusetts. Ms Giachetti has significant international experience, having worked and studied in Botswana, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A native Italian, Ms Giachetti was raised in Gaborone and completed her education at Boston University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, focused on International Management, from the Questrom School of Business and with a secondary degree in biology

[/cs_text][cs_text]

Mr Paarth Shah, GEA Leader

Mr Shah currently serves as an Associate in the Deals Strategy Practice at Pricewaterhouse Coopers Strategy. He graduated from Princeton University in 2016 with a degree in Public and International Affairs, with minors in South Asian Studies and Information Technology. While there, he focused on trade and finance, writing his senior thesis on the minimum wage in New York state. Additionally, Mr Shah has served in a variety of collegial roles as president of the Ivy Council, an advisor with the Prison Entrepreneurship Program and as a Davis Projects for Peace fellow

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]

This term, former MaP drama teacher and alumni Tefo Paya returned to MaP as Director of Maitisong. The 32-year old award-winning actor has performed both locally and internationally, gaining extensive experience in the arts as a performer, curator, facilitator and lecturer.

‘’I enjoy drama because I’m a big dreamer, but when you act, you do. I’ve always been very active and drama allowed me to be active, but with a purpose,’’ notes Mr Paya.

His acting career began at MaP, where he was ‘’introduced to art as a way of life’’ by Mr Warren Nebe. Through Mr Nebe’s guidance, Mr Paya developed his passion for theatre, and, upon completing his IGCSE at MaP, Mr Paya received an AS Scholarship to Aigion College, Switzerland, where he studied Theatre Studies. In 2012, Mr Paya graduated with a Distinction in a Master of Arts from the Wits University. Subsequently, he joined MaP’s drama department and The Company@Maitisong.

‘’I am an artist who believes that art is a catalyst for growth and development,’’ says Mr Paya. ‘’As an actor, teaching has helped me value the profound purity of acting itself.’’

After leaving MaP in 2015, Mr Paya continued to work closely with The Company@Maitisong. That same year, his solo play, Morwa: The Rising Son received a Standard Bank Ovation award during the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. He returned to Botswana and began lecturing at AFDA Botswana, where he continued to focus on his career as an actor, director and filmmaker.

Mr Paya hopes to restore Maitisong to its status as Botswana’s premier theatre. As a former student of MaP, he deeply values the theatre’s cultural tapestry. He intends to focus on changing the perception of the theatre. In future, he plans to build the Maitisong brand, which, in turn, will sell and market the theatre to the right consumers.

‘’This platform is huge. Look at the names of people who have been here. It is not just a school hall. It is a space that lives and breathes. There is character and history here, which needs celebrating.’’

[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]

From left: Mr Federico Mele, Mr Paarth Shah, Mr Marowa, Ms Amu, Mr Onyait, Mr Niklas Carling and Ms Valeria Giachetti
 
This week (29 May – 2 June) Maru-a-Pula welcomes Mr Federico Mele, Mr Paarth Shah, Mr Niklas Carling and Ms Valeria Giachetti from Global Economic Awareness (GEA), who are hosting workshops with form five and six students. Over the next few days, students will gain a better understanding of micro and macroeconomics and their application in the real world. Students will also have the opportunity to practice what they learn through problem-solving exercises and a team project.
 
GEA is a New York-based, non-profit organisation, which aims promote economic literacy amongst students worldwide. Their mission is to ”leverage peer-to-peer mentorship to empower students for success and enable them to achieve their professional goals.” The group conducts workshops for students at various levels in Thailand, India and Bangladesh. 

Last week (15 – 18 May), MaP’s world-renowned Marimba band took part in the second annual College Marimba Festival, hosted by St Stithian’s College in South Africa. Organised by Mr Michael Sibanda, Director of Marimba at St Stithians Boys Prep, the Festival featured over 100 marimba players from nine schools.

Mr Michael Sibanda: ”The aim of the Marimba Festival is to bring together school marimba bands to perform together and for each other with no sense of competition. From this Festival, the different groups bring a wide and varied repertoire to share with each other. Performance opportunities for school marimba bands are limited so the Festival provides an excellent platform.”

During the Festival, the schools collaborated on two pieces, a cover of Ben E King’s Stand By Me and an original piece titled Track 12. In between combined performances, the individual bands played music of their own choosing. The playlist included renditions of popular songs such as Pharell Williams’ Happy, classics such Mariam Makeba’s Qongqothwane (Click Song) and original compositions. 

~ Photo Credit: St Stithians College