Transitional home works magic on students
FINDING the right balance on entering adult life once school is done and dusted is difficult for most young people.
But for 22-year-old Nokhanyo Xaba from Durban, who was orphaned at a young age, it was sheer determination to succeed and her unusual bond with Mount Edgecombe resident, Fiona Furniss, which has seen her pass the first two years of tertiary education.
And the two women travelling the long road together with the shared goal of seeing Xaba achieve her degree, has resulted in a transitional home being established for young adults from vulnerable or impoverished circumstances.
After Xaba’s mother died, she and three younger siblings were taken into the care of Durban Child and Youth Care Centre (formerly Durban Children’s Home) in Glenwood.
Popular with the other children in the centre while growing up, Xaba also shone academically. But as Mandy Goble, director, pointed out, once a child completed school, he or she no longer fell under the provisions of the Children’s Act, meaning they had to leave their place of care, often facing a frightening future alone.
When Xaba had completed her matric, she went to stay with her uncle and started her first year at university. Money was non-existent and life became a daily uphill struggle.
Stress
Furniss, a volunteer worker at the centre, heard about the stress Xaba was under from her younger sister.
“Nokhanyo was in her first year, but trying to cope with such difficult conditions in which to study. She has such ability and enthusiasm, I had to do something,” said Furniss.
After lobbying for funding, Furniss partnered with the YES Trust in Pinetown and the idea of setting up a transitional home was born.
“We decided to transform the old clinic centre on the grounds of Durban Child and Youth Care Centre into a transitional home. Renovations at the centre have started and are scheduled to be completed next month. Khanyo (Nokhanyo) will be one of the first students to stay in the centre.
“She has an enormous heart and all the kids at the centre love her and look up to her. She is paving the way for a lot of them,” said Furniss
Now in her third year and hoping to become a psychologist, Xaba said she was looking forward to a stable home environment in which to live and study.
“My uncle did everything he could, but his resources are limited and he has his own family to look after.
“I am hoping to finish my degree this year. I want to do psychology as I feel I know how to connect and work with people, I want to give back.”
Dee Steel from YES Trust, an organisation which has run a transitional care home since 1997, said strong mentoring was needed.
“Our students have come from children’s homes or very deprived backgrounds. We encourage a family atmosphere where other students are like brothers or sisters and the mentor is like a parent,” said Steel, who added that all the students who had been through their transitional home had passed their tertiary education courses and found jobs.
“We make it clear there are no alcohol or drugs and we have a high standard of ethics such as tolerance, kindness, patience. We encourage students to give back.”
Goble said: “Nokhanyo is an inspiration. She is showing that, given the right opportunities and correct nurturing environment, she can rise above adversity. There are adults who spend their lives blaming circumstances, but here we have a young person who would not allow circumstances to define her.”