Coega Maths and Science Programme facilitators engaging with learners as part of an ongoing commitment towards empowering young minds through education.
Alice, Eastern Cape, 16 July 2025 – The Coega Development Corporation (Coega) is proud to announce the commencement of its Nelson Month activities with the launch of this year’s Winter School Bootcamp in Alice, in collaboration with the Fort Hare Foundation. This initiative, as part of Coega’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Maths and Science Programme (MSP), is providing 48 learners from Phandulwazi High School and Nzululwazi High School, the opportunity to engage with Coega’s Maths and Science Programme facilitators. The goal is to enhance their academic performance ahead of their preliminary and final examinations.
Coega CSI Manager, Ms. Sylvia Graham, says that the initiative honours the enduring legacy of former statesman Nelson Mandela and aligns with Coega’s commitment to community outreach through local programmes.
Coega MSP Facilitator, Mr. Eldon September, shares the same pride in the initiative:
“This is an awesome initiative. We are excited to be here in Alice, contributing to the educational growth of the community. We have picked up some challenges amongst the learners in terms of exam preparation, which are addressing. What really stands out is the enthusiasm that the learners have for this programme. It is awesome to see how eager they are to learn,” says September.
The Coega MSP has been successfully operating for over 12 years and is a testament to the organisation’s ongoing dedication to youth empowerment.
Winter School Bootcamp learner, Ms. Amila Febana from Phandulwazi High School, shares her experience:
“I am enthusiastic and excited. Engagements like this hold so much potential for us as students. These programmes empower us intellectually. I think we will improve more and more as each day passes. I have already applied to various universities to pursue a career in either engineering or sonography.”
The Coega MSP Winter School Bootcamp will continue ahead of Coega’s Mandela Day 2025 outreach event at the Motherwell Enviro Hub on Friday, 18 July. This year, the focus will be on sustainable development through waste management and food security, building on the success of last year’s Mandela Day initiative. In 2024, Coega established a large-scale food garden at Vulumzi Senior Secondary School, empowering learners to sell fresh produce at the Coega Special Economic Zone Vulumzi Market Day in June this year.
Coega is committed to supporting sustainable development initiatives that contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of local communities.
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