Marcia Lebambo Foundation hosted their 7th annual spelling Bee competition recently at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
The foundation partnered with TUT and the Department of Sports and Recreation who sponsored them with venue, medals, certificates and prices for the competing learners.
Learners from the community of Soshanguve came in large numbers to compete in the competition for the number one spot.
Speaking to the founder of the competition, Dr Marcia Lebambo, she said “the aim of the event was to assist learners who find it difficult to compete in a global economy because of lack of resources in public schools.
“Rural and townships schools do not get enough support to ensure that learning was effective. There is lack of learning technology, shortage of textbooks, poor infrastructure and lack of classrooms that are conducive to learning,” she said.
She was also pleased with the attendance and gave credit to her team.
“I am very much happy with the attendance, the number of support says a lot and we have grown from the past seven years.
“It is also the great effort and hard work we put as a team, we are exceptionally proud of ourselves as a team and as a foundation thanks to everyone who supported us,” she added.
Olwethu Mnguni, from Zenzele Secondary School who obtained the first position in the Grade 10 competition, said she is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the competition. “It is fruitful, even though it can be nerve wrecking.
“Being part of the competiton was a little bit scary but I tried to keep myself calm, the competition helps us to learn how to pronounce words and learn definitions,” said Ms Mnguni.
