On 16 February, the managing director of Namibia Wildlife Resorts, Ms Zelna Hengari, and Mr Ernest Mokganedi of the South African Department of Environmental Affairs visited the college at the invitation of Peace Parks Foundation, to establish a training alliance. The visit resulted in eight students (five Namibians and three South Africans) arriving for training over the weekend of 17 March. Orientation of the students took place on 20 and 21 March and their formal training started on 22 March. The training was fast-tracked after hours and over weekends to help them integrate with the students who’d been at the college since the end of January.
European Union
Students proudly displaying their EU T-shirts and capsThe college was delighted to welcome a delegation of its largest donor, the Mission of the European Union (EU) to South Africa, on 9 and 10 March. The delegation spent time at the Drostdy Hotel to observe SA College for Tourism/Drostdy Hotel learnership participants in action, inter alia overnighting at the hotel and having dinner and breakfast there.
At the college, they sat in on three practical training sessions (Culinary Art, Food & Beverage and Information Technology) and attended a Life Skills seminar on personal finances. Before sitting down to luncheon with members of the learner committee and staff, which was served by students, they met with the Class of 2017 as a group, explaining to them the mission of the EU in South Africa. They singled out the college as one of their ‘most favourite and best liked’ projects! The meeting concluded with the visitors handing EU-branded T-shirts and caps to the students amidst lots of fun and laughter.
Embassy of Finland
Ms Tsakane Bok, in red, surrounded by studentsOn 27 March, the college warmly welcomed Ms Tsakane Bok from the Embassy of Finland, which has been supporting the college for more than a decade. Ms Bok watched the students learn how to store and serve wines at the correct temperatures and also watched them go through their paces in their practical classes – preparing a variety of egg dishes in the kitchen, answering and transferring telephone calls at reception, laying tables in the restaurant and cleaning rooms and making beds as part of housekeeping.
Imbumba Foundation
In other news, the college has joined forces with Imbumba Foundation, as part of their countrywide Caring4Girls Programme to provide feminine sanitary ware at no cost to needy young girls and women. Thanks to the alliance, the students will receive a monthly supply for the next 10 months.
