It is with great pride that I would like to announce that Viola Siyotywa has attained her Diploma in Adult Education from UNISA! Her results for her year-end exams were a stunning 67%, 50%, 61% and 63%.

Viola is a Green Futures graduate, who was offered a position to stay at Green Futures as a trainee facilitator. Viola has since found her calling as a teacher, and handles most of the computer literacy classes for the college! Through a fantastic sponsorship by the Raimondo Trust she has completed the first year diploma, and hopes to study a further two years to become a qualified teacher.

I asked Viola to write a small piece about the course that she is studying and thought I would pop it onto the blog:

“After my whole year at Green Futures Horticultural College, I have been employed as one of the Green Futures trainee facilitators. More opportunity was given to me to study further so that I can be a qualified teacher one day. I really, really appreciate this opportunity.
I have started my course this year in January at Unisa. It is a practitioner training course for ABET i.e. about teaching adults. It’s a one year diploma but I can also be able to study another two years
I have  also finished with my final examination which was in September and in October. I’m waiting for my results during December. All in all, I want to get more skills that can help me and the whole world. What I mean is that my skills can help the other people needs one day. It is very important to know the other person needs especially me as a practitioner one day.” - Viola Siyotywa

Keep up the great work Viola, we are all very proud of you!

Its been a long year for the class of 2008. Due to various circumstances, this years students spent two months longer than normal at the college. So it was with a great sense of achievement that the final exams were polished off and the end of year festivities could begin!

Once again, the Green Futures has had a 100% pass rate this year, so every one of the 12 young people that started the course walks away with their AGRISETA accredited diploma. Job hunting has also been occurring in earnest over the last few weeks, and some of the graduates are moving as far a field as Bettys Bay to take up positions. Thanks to expansion at the Green Futures Nursery, we have even managed to hold on to one or two of the knowledgeable youngsters, who will be an integral part of upcoming landscaping projects.

Graduation was a joyous affair, held at De Uijlenes near Grootbos. The graduates were dressed superbly for the occasion, and guests included local journalists, the entire Green Futures Team, several Grootbos staff and various people that have been instrumental in the success of the past year. Grootbos Foundation director Sean Privett did the honours of handing over the certificates, while Susan Lochner made a passionate speech about her strong feeling towards Green Futures.

After receiveing their commendations, the graduates had a fantastic time enjoying the sunshine and dam adjacent to De Uijlenes, and were then treated to a fantastic braai complete with celebratory cakes!

A great day, to say farewell to a wonderful class.