Our team is comprised of smart and dedicated people who believe in our long-term vision, that it is indeed possible for all South African kids to learn to read for meaning and calculate with confidence by age 10 by 2030. These are the people we trust to lead our programs, develop our materials, and advocate for their widespread uptake by government.
Lead: Limpopo Intervention
Maphale Julia Maphutha is the Head of Sotho languages at Funda Wande Organisation. She is passionate about education and loves to see children succeeding in reading and writing. Julia is a philanthropist who likes to make a difference by empowering the youth and adults in various communities across the country. She initiated the Library Practice Learnership in Limpopo Province in 2015. She was fully involved when the Programme was implemented from 2016 to 2017 and it was completed with a huge success (ETDP SETA UP SKILLS MAGAZINE Issue no: 1 2017)!
Julia holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Limpopo. Prior Funda Wande, she was as a Primary School Language teacher for 14 years and received Awards for being the Best reading teacher. From 2012-2018 Julia worked for Room to Read (an International Organisation) where she has gained an in-depth knowledge on early literacy and skills ranging from coaching, facilitation and material development.
Joining the Funda Wande team in 2019 has been the most exciting and fulfilling experience she has ever had. Her main responsibilities at Funda Wande are; to version the existing materials into Sepedi, Setswana and Sesotho, identify master teachers in each of these languages and supervise the filming and editing of the content.
Her motto is, “Intensive support should be geared towards adults so that many children will receive more help, and more appropriate help.”
Sepedi Literacy Specialist
Phuti is a Literacy Coach at Funda Wande, working in Limpopo Province, Capricorn District. She supports Foundation phase teachers in Grades 1-3 on teaching reading. She joined Funda Wande in July 2019 as a consultant and was recruited on a fulltime basis in October. As Funda Wande, we envision a world where all learners by the age of 10, will be able to read for meaning.
Prior to working at Funda Wande, Phuti worked for a literacy organization called Room to Read, from 2012 to 2018. She was involved in establishing libraries in the project schools, training and supporting teacher-librarians and foundation phase teachers in the library and the classroom.
She is both a teacher and librarian by profession. She holds a Secondary Teachers Diploma (S.T.D) and an Honours degree in Library and Information Science from University of the North, (now Limpopo). She is a qualified Assessor, Moderator and Facilitator, accredited with ETDP SETA.
Phuti is passionate about reading and is prepared to do everything in her power to ensure that in all our project schools, learners are able to read for meaning. She is a registered member of LIASA (Library and Information Association of South Africa). She is also the National Public Relations Officer for SLYSIG (School Libraries and Youth Services Interest Groups).
She has been part of the Funda Wande team that developed Sepedi lessons for grades 1 to 3. Moreover, she has participated in filming grades 1 to 3 lessons for YouTube.
She echoes the same sentiment with the late Tata Nelson Mandela when he said: “It always seems impossible until it is done”. Together, we can do it.
Maths Specialist
Dr Lorna Sako joined Funda Wande on 19 April 2021. She holds the position of Maths specialist: Limpopo intervention. Her focus is on supporting the implementation of Bala Wande in participating Sepedi LOLT schools by building Teacher and Teacher Assistant mentor capacity and understanding of instructional Foundation Phase Mathematics and participating in Bala Wande materials development.
Prior to joining Funda Wande Lorna worked as a temporary lecturer at the university of Limpopo and taught BEd Foundation Phase Literacy and Life Orientation. She is a teacher by profession and worked in special schools for 21 years. She is passionate about early intervention in the Foundation Phase in order to address barriers to learning and making learning fun and comfortable for learners. She holds a PhD degree in Adult Community and Continuing Education from the university of Limpopo.
HR & TA Project Facilitator
Manoko joined Funda Wande in October 2020 as the HR Officer of the Limpopo branch. She holds honours graduate in Human Resource Management with 6 years experience in HR, Sale Admin, Payroll and Invoicing with a very good understanding of human resources.
Manoko is an energetic and career driven young professional and passionate about what she does.
Teacher Assistant Mentor
Lesley Makgakga joined Funda Wande Limpopo office as a Teacher's Assistants Mentor in March 2021. She has a BCOM Management Accounting degree and Post Graduate Certificate in Education specialising in Accounting and Economic and Management Science.
She has also completed a Course in teaching Foundation Phase Mathematics and a Programme in Language teaching in Foundation Phase. She has worked as an Accounting Clerk for a private company and served as a Bookkeeper and an Accountant for an NGO in Limpopo where she developed the love of working with people, especially the young ones. She has also served as a volunteer educator at a local primary school teaching Grade 3 learners. Furthermore, she is a local church board member and a secretary for Women Department.
Working at Funda Wande will improve her knowledge of working with children and is the right platform for her career development. She believes that education and hard work helps people to grow, develops and shapes a better and respectful society.
Teacher Assistant Mentor
Mahlatse Kubjane is a TA mentor who graduated from University of Limpopo with BA honours in Applied Languages and a Bachelor's Degree in Multilingual studies.
Before joining Fundawande she volunteered as a student mentor at University of Limpopo under Centre of Academic Excellence, worked with various organisations such as University of Limpopo Information and Communication Technology as Computer lab supervisor and at Department of Education as EPWP teacher assistant.
"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart"
- Nelson Mandela.
Teacher Assistant Mentor
Reneilwe Matjutla joined FUNDA WANDE in March 2021 as a Teacher Assistant Mentor at Limpopo office. She holds a diploma in education for secondary phase and an advanced certificate in educational management. She is currently studying BCOMPT in financial Accounting at UNISA.
Prior to joining Funda Wande, Reneilwe worked 16 years at the department of education as a teacher and Head of department for commercial subjects. She also worked part time from 2009-2016 at IEC (Dr JS Moroka municipality) as counting officer and then got promoted to presiding officer, ensuring free and fair elections.
As someone who loves education, possesses excellent organisational skills and can connect easily with students, working at Funda Wande is the perfect opportunity for her to continue her professional development. She believes that her experience and passion for teaching would be the ideal fit for the philosophy and resources offered by Funda wande.
Office Assistant
Salome Kgaabi works as an Office Assistant at Funda Wande (Limpopo). She prides herself in being meticulous at providing support to the Funda Wande team with their day to day tasks. She has more than 11 years of experience working in the protection and sanitation sectors.
What Salome enjoys the most is working with people and in an environment that fosters personal and professional development.
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