Love Trust is a not-for-profit organisation that was founded in 2009, with the mission to deliver excellent quality Christian education to vulnerable children.

To achieve this mandate, they established The Nokuphila Teacher Training Academy (NTTA), which trains and develops prospective teachers to become accredited Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers through NQF level 4 and 5 qualifications.

Their partner Realema, also an NGO, offers full bursaries to candidates who wish to study teaching. The bursaries that Realema offers its recipients are fully comprehensive, providing a holistic experience. Perhaps the largest benefit to the Realema bursary is its school partnership network that it uses to provide its students with practical work experience.

Finding synergy

In 2023, Love Trust partnered with Realema, taking on interns at the Nokuphila School in Thembisa. As part of the partnership offering, the interns are provided with:
  • accommodation
  • laptops, and
  • academic support.

Realema says that it has developed a layered mentoring system that aligns with Love Trust's approach to comprehensive care. This partnership affords its beneficiaries a realistic glimpse into the life of a teacher, while allowing them the opportunity to complete their studies. This is by seeing to the interns' academic needs, as well as providing:
  • financial support
  • a stable home base, and
  • career mentors. 


Positive partnerships

Both NGOs say that through valuable partnerships like this, they are able to create a greater social impact in local communities and set the stage for lasting and measurable change.

Thobekile Moyo, an experienced teacher who oversees the interns during their time at the Nokuphila School, says, "Teachers are mentors in their own rights."

The teachers at the Nokuphila School say that they have undergone their own mentorship training programme that allows them to provide the interns from Realema with the support they need. This is because they are aware of the important role that teachers play in society. 

The training details the technical aspects of the internship and what is required from the mentors. More importantly, it details the qualities and characteristics needed to become an impactful educator.

Hope for the next generation of teachers

The programme is being well-received by the interns, with current intern Millenium Monyama advocating for how enriching the internship has been. According to the duo, Monyama feels that Realema and Nokuphila have given her a second chance at pursuing her studies to become a teacher.

Monyama was pursuing a diploma to become a teacher after completing her matric in 2017 but was forced to leave her studies due to financial difficulties. She has remained fervent in her love for teaching, which started in high school when she attended a micro-scholarship, run by the United States embassy, between her grade 10 and 12 years.

Monyama says the combined academic and psychosocial support provided by the organisations has really inspired her to dig deep and work hard.

"Their belief in me has been a constant source of motivation and has pushed me. I have gained valuable hands-on experience that has further solidified my love for education," Monyama adds. 

Monyama is enthusiastic about working as an intern at the Nokuphila School, taking particular joy in extracurricular activities and games that entice the learners' sense of fun.

The partnership concludes that it is clear that the joy of learning is being felt by the learners, interns and mentors alike, and that the future generations of interns have much to look forward to.

For more information, visit www.lovetrust.co.za. and www.realema.org.