Cape Town - Two Cape Town girls who participated in a peer exchange programme had not only swopped schools but families, cultures and even homes.
Yonela Ntsongoni 16, from Luzuko in Gugulethu spent Thursday at Heideveld High School – the school 17-year-old Chante September attends. Thereafter, Yonela stayed over at Chante’s Heideveld home. “It was a different environment from what I’m used to but I learnt a lot and it was a nice experience,” Yonela said.
Yonela said everything was different when comparing “her school” to Heideveld High.
“From teaching methods to what they sell in their tuck shop… it’s all different from my school but I’m happy to have gone through the experience,” she said.
On Friday, it was Chante’s turn. She attended Oaklands High School in Kenwyn and went to Yonela’s Gugulethu home afterwards.
Chante said she didn't know what to expect from the exchange.
“I was nervous at first because I didn't know what to expect. I thought I would be judged but it didn’t turn out that way,” she said.
She added that Oaklands High was more civilised because pupils actually listened, unlike at her school.
The girls, who had never been to each other’s areas before, participated in the Life Choices Peer Exchange Programme which enables Grade 11 pupils to pair with a peer from a different community and culture for 48 hours. Some 120 pupils from 12 Cape Town schools have taken part this year.
Life Choices managing director, Sofia Neves, said the exchange encourages youth to break borders and venture into areas where ordinarily they would never have gone.
“It (the programme) pairs two young people from different cultures to spend 48 hours together. One day one of the youths will host and the other day he/she will be the guest, said Neves.
Cape Argus