The Aitsa! Aftercare Centre, a Dwarsriver Valley initiative, creates a loving, safe, and stimulating environment after school, where all children are supported to reach their full potential.
Aitsa! opened its doors in the small village of Kylemore (outside Stellenbosch) in 2014. Aitsa! was established to provide a safe and nurturing environment to children, while most parents are at work during the day. As the programme matured the importance of foundational learning as the underpinning for all further learning became a focal point. Equally important is a partnership with parents or caretakers expanding the ecosystem for sustainable social impact.
For most of our children, Aitsa! is a second home. The journey with each child and their parents starts at the age of five, and our vision extends to guidance and assistance beyond the secondary phase.
Whilst the educational programme is core, Aitsa!’s holistic approach and the supporting programmes have exceeded our expectations. The combination proved crucial in developing healthy, confident, and joyful children with a greater focus and sense of belonging. The programmes are now well entrenched, and includes a wide array of sport, psycho-social, arts and culture, as well as spiritual guidance, according to individual needs. The Aitsa! team consists of 19 full-time staff members and 60+ volunteers, working in unison to present our broad and holistic collection of programmes to our children, weekly.
Since 2014, we have had an intake of 30 to 35 five-year-olds each year and are now serving 275 children.
This year we have reached a significant milestone: 10 years of sustainable growth. The Grade Rs we enrolled in 2014 have now reached Grade 9 and are actively engaged in the process of selecting their subjects! Each teenager at Aitsa! has a unique set of gifts and abilities, which will be developed as far as possible. Our aim is to ensure that our teens become the best adult versions of themselves.
Aitsa! relies on donations from a variety of partners and individuals. If you would like to donate you will be engaging in a worthy cause. We believe that Aitsa! will send responsible, hard-working, committed, and qualified young adults back into Kylemore and beyond the borders of the Dwarsriver Valley. We trust that many of them will accomplish their full potential and add substantial value. We operate in excellence and accountability, with integrity and towards a better future.
Visit us at aitsa.org
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