By David Geldart
South African teachers, Mrs Pk Zondi and Miss Mazet Langa from Mnyakanya High School and Mrs Eunice Mchunu from Umlazi Primary School together with students Amahle Nsbande and Bayanda Gcaba from Mnyakanya recently visited Leeds as part of the Bambisanani Partnership exchange programme. Mnyakanya School established the partnership with St. Mary’s, Menston 18 years ago.
During the one week stay the visitors participated in lessons at St. Mary’s, Menston and St. Joseph’s Primary School, Pudsey. They also toured the sights of Leeds and York as well as visiting Saltaire Village with local historian Andy Harrison-Beaumont and the Bronte Parsonage in Howarth with the benefit of expert, Diane Fare.
The team also spent a day at key member of the Bambisanani Partnership, the University of Leeds, where they enjoyed the extensive facilities. The group were joined by many St. Marys students who have visited South Africa or will be visiting next year for an evening of Bowling and later in the week a bracing walk on Rombald’s Moor to the ‘Twelve Apostle Stones’.
When visiting the Leeds Playhouse as special guests to watch A Raisin in the Sun the visitors were stunned with an invitation from Emma Gill to have a backstage tour and meet several of the actors. As well as attending a service at York Minster the group were special guests at the annual St. Mary’s Mass of Welcome for new Year 7 students at St, Peter’s and Paul’s Church in Yeadon which happened to fall on Zulu Heritage Day.
Whilst at St. Mary’s the South African students taught Zulu to Year 7 students on International Language Day. Amahle and Bayanda also taught Zulu language at St. Josephs as well as Athletics.
Over 40 members of the Bambisanani team in the UK attended a celebration meal with the South African guests at Tharavadu Restaurant in Leeds, a restaurant that has supported the partnership for several years.
On the final day of the visit the visitors added much to St. Mary’s Open Day and were able to meet Graham Davies and Janet Kerr of the Rotary Club of Aireborough who have supported the partnership since it began.
At a final lunch event the guests had the opportunity to meet 8-year-old Althaea Dickinson, who earlier in the year had organised a campaign to get over 1000 reading books into South African primary schools and Graeme Collin who has been instrumental in providing kit for the Bambisanani Cycling programme in South Africa. It certainly was a very busy and exciting week which created many wonderful encounters.
d.geldart@bambisananipartnership.org
The post South Africans welcomed in Leeds – By David Geldart appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News.
South African teachers together with students recently visited Leeds as part of the Bambisanani Partnership exchange programme
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