Empower South Africa: Sustainable Education

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From classrooms to life. Christel House in Cape Town enrols children experiencing poverty at age five, and provides them with education, nutrition, healthcare, mental health support and career guidance through to age 23, ensuring they find gainful employment and become upwardly mobile citizens. This pioneering model works with both students and their families to drive sustainable change – permanently shifting the economic dial.

Christel House stands as a beacon of hope on the Cape Flats, transporting students from abject poverty to becoming doctors, lawyers, engineers and corporate employees. The school was recently recognised as one of the Top Ten Schools in overcoming adversity in the World’s Best Schools Prizes and is one of only six Microsoft Showcase Schools in South Africa. Their model has the potential to solve the systemic structural challenges of the country.

To date, Christel House has impacted the lives of more than 20,000 students and has an ambitious strategy to expand its schools globally and in South Africa.

“Understand Christel House, and you have the keys to solving our national school crisis.” – Professor Jonathan Jansen

Christel House South Africa consistently achieves excellence, having a profound impact. 94% of their graduates are in employment, education or training, compared to a national average of 66.7%. In 2023, they achieved a 100% pass rate at grade 12 compared to a national average of 82.9%, with a grade 12 Bachelor’s pass rate of 82% compared to 40.9% nationally.

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Speakers:

Lord Peter Hain came to the UK as the son of South African exiles, Walter and Adelain Hain. He rose to prominence in the Anti-Apartheid Movement through the Stop the Tour campaign against sporting links with apartheid South Africa. He faced several court battles, orchestrated by supporters of the apartheid regime, but succeeded in defending himself against the charges. He later joined the Labour Party and was elected to Parliament in 1991, occupying several Ministerial positions before becoming Minister for Northern Ireland where he played a key role in negotiating the settlement that brought about the power sharing government. He stood down from Parliament in 2014, whereupon he was nominated for a life peerage, and became Baron Hain of Neath. He remains a vocal advocate for South Africa, and a fierce critic of corruption.

Adri Marais is the CEO of Christel House South Africa. With over 30 years of experience in education and social development, Adri combines expertise in science, business, and education to drive impactful social change. Before joining Christel House in 2018, she headed up Varsity College in Cape Town and co-founded TSiBA, a non-profit business school that offers full tuition scholarships to underserved students. Under Adri’s leadership, Christel House South Africa has received numerous accolades for its innovative education model and is now spearheading the organisation’s efforts to grow the number of Christel House schools in South Africa.