Salvazione Christian School was founded in 1991 by Adele Talbot when it sought to provide an alternative for learners who could not afford to attend the local schools. In the mid 1990’s, the school moved around quite often. In 1998, it was housed in the Mayfair Baptist Church hall. At this point, this is when The Ridge School first became involved in our project. Volunteers from The Ridge implemen
ted programmes to help the learners and tried to reorganise the school and improve conditions, which had become untenable. A few years later, our partner schools, The Ridge, Auckland Park Preparatory School (APPS), and St Katharine’s School held a fundraiser and were able to purchase a school building for us. At last, through our three partners, we had enough space to house the learners, and each grade had a classroom of their own. Thanks to the generosity of corporate donors and many private individuals, a church building in Mayfair West, Johannesburg, was bought in the latter part of 2008. The location of the building is ideal for the school as it is still within walking distance of the children’s homes in the Slovo Park Informal Settlement, and directly opposite a large municipal park with well-maintained facilities. Although it is fairly old, the building is structurally sound and has been renovated into a fully functioning school. The school is a registered independent school that receives a small state subsidy, and school fees are collected from those families able to afford them. The school’s aim has always been to offer cost-effective, quality education to the children from the Slovo Park Informal Settlement and surrounding areas such as Brixton, Crosby, Langlaagte, Soweto and Roodepoort. The learners pay R150 per month for school fees and learners who cannot afford the fees are able to apply for fee exemption. A very successful “Adopt A Learner” programme supports the large number of children who, through dire financial and personal circumstances, are not able to pay any school fees. Salvazione receives not only sponsorship, but also hands-on support from a variety of sources that help us build self-esteem and collegiality. With assistance, we have opened a library, our reading programme intervention, and a music and art programme. Each of these contributes to a balanced curriculum, and enables the learners to develop their creative talents. The network of support was widened again when Salvazione joined Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa in 2014. The rewards far outnumber the challenges, and every day we are grateful for the kindness and generosity of people and companies. It is humbling to receive the generous and selfless gifts from individuals and corporates which enable our learners to receive a solid education. The volunteers are a dedicated group of people who unselfishly give of their time and talents every week to assist the learners. They do more than just teach the learners; they form relationships with the learners, which is humbling.
