Tswelopele set to grace the World Choir Games stage
Posted By:
07.11.2013
Barely a year after he was placed under the Transnet Foundation Orphaned Youth Education Development’s care, 16 year old Tswelopele Molema is climbing new heights and doing the Foundation proud.
Barely a year after he was placed under the Transnet Foundation Orphaned Youth Education Development’s care, 16 year old Tswelopele Molema is climbing new heights and doing the Foundation proud.
The Grade10 student’s commitment and interest in music has paid off after being chosen as one of the learners to participate in the 5 days World Choir Games competition in Latvia. Tswelo was placed at Kearsney College, a private school in KZN in January 2013 by the Foundation after being orphaned. Within months of being at the school he was accepted into the Kearsney Senior School Choir.
The prominent choir currently holds the World Champion title in Scenic Folklore music and will defend that title at the world competition from the 3rd to 13th of July 2014. During the tour the Kearsney Boys Choir will participate in various competitions, concerts, workshops and multi-national cultural events.
Speaking in an interview with Transnet Cares, Tswelo expressed gratitude and excitement to be part of the strong 70 member team. ‘‘It’s a totally different environment to be part of a team comprising of boys from all over the school and my biggest expectation is to go out there and give my all as part of the team to defend our title. I hope to be a dominant part of the choir. It will be great to meet new people and explore different cultures.
‘’Being involved in sports, culture and the choir balances everything up because measurement of performanceat school is based on the student’s overall activities’’ says the young man with pride.
Theresa Vivian Moila, Senior Manager for the Education portfolio speaks highly of Tswelo.
‘’Tswelo is an outgoing child, committed to studies and music and also involved in Drama. Although he has been having challenges with mathematics, he takes pride in what he does and is driven to succeed and we are yet to see even greater achievements from the young man, ‘’ the passionate Moila beams.
Theresa who has a background in social work further explains that it gives her and Transnet such hope and determination to see the young learners excel and become well rounded individuals. ‘’Currently, we have ten orphans in the programme that have been placed in different Schools. We are taking a different approach with the second phase of Orphaned Youth Education Development and we are placing them from Grade 8 and not grade 10.’’
The criterion for placing the orphans into Transnet’s care requires the learners to be tested in Mathematics, English and Critical Thinking and be examined by the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa.
