A Manenberg schoolgirl has the opportunity to go to Germany for a school exchange programme, but she needs help getting there.
Phoenix Secondary School Grade 11 Moesfieka Barbier, 16, is one of 15 pupils from the school who hope to participate in a pupil exchange with a German school, Kreisgymnasium, in Heinsberg, in June.
Established in 2009, the programme gives pupils the chance to travel and explore South Africa and Germany while familiarising themselves with the different education systems.
But to get to Germany, the pupils need to pay R12 000 towards their travelling costs.
Moesfieka’s older sister, Narima, has been selling hot dogs and chip rolls to raise the money, but so far, Moesfieka only has R1000, and she needs to pay the full R12 000 by Wednesday April 12.
The school’s acting principal, Shameeg Fredericks, said the academic trip could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the pupils.
“We are appealing to you for financial support towards the travelling costs of approximately R12 000 per learner,” he says in a letter soliciting public support for the pupils.
Narima said that the opportunity to go to Germany, had been given to pupils who had not repeated a grade since Grade 8.
“She came home with a letter in January, and we have been raising funds ever since. It has been stressful, but we are getting there. We need R12 000, excluding the passport fees, which we still have to pay. We stay with our grandparents; we have no parents so that is why I am doing this. We really need the community’s help. This would mean a lot for us as a family because it is a big opportunity for her to be able to experience other parts of the world so one day if she wants to go over to study, she will know what it’s like.”
Moesfieka said that she was excited to go on the trip.
“My friends are going as well. I really hope that I will be able to go. I will get to meet new people and experience new things,” she said.