Izivungu

Izivunguvungu-MSC Foundation for Youth, based in the port town of Simon's Town, nearby Cape Town, is the first school in South Africa to provide opportunities for disadvantaged children. Izivunguvungu was established in 2001, by Ian Ainslie, three times Olympian, multiple world sailing champion and qualified school teacher, together with Matthew Mentz, a highly qualified Ocean Skipper and instructor.

Izivunguvungu MSC Foundation for youth is a Non-Profit Organization affiliated to and supported by the South African Navy and funded by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The development programme was the training background for some of the younger recruits on Team Shosholoza, the 2007 South African America's Cup Challenge.

Izivungu is a registered non-profit organisation for the empowerment of the youth.
Non-Profit Organization affiliated to the SA Navy Body
Applicable Registration details/numbers: 027-611-NPO

Izivunguvungu Permanent Staff
Matthew Mentz Managing Director	Carder Williams Boat Maintenance and Building Manager	Jonathan Cole Coach and navigation
Paul Prince Cook, driver and boat building assistant	Wandisile Xayimpi Apprentice deckhand	Ben Moholongo Apprentice model builder
	Jerome Williams Apprentice model builder

'The lighties'

Students, aged between 11 and 18 years old, come from all around the South Peninsula, mainly from Red Hill, Ocean View, Masiphumalela and Simonstown. 170 students are currently enrolled in the school, with an average of 20 children sailing every day of the week. The school provides transport to the Simonstown's dockyard as well as a meal to the students after sailing.

The Corporate relationship between Izivunguvungu and the South African Navy

MSC entered into an agreement with Izivunguvungu and the South African Navy in 2003, in which they committed themselves to provide the sailing school with:

Premises:

The premises to which Izivunguvungu has access to are as follows:

• A part of the SA Navy premises, consisting of a main building (which encloses the school's office, a recreational and educational space, a class room, a vestibule in which the clothing is stocked);
• The neighboring back yard equipped with a kitchen and a dining room. It is in the back yard that all micro farming projects have been undertaken up to now.
• In 2004, the premises provided to the sailing school were extended to the ground floor of the main building, which has become the boat building / handcraft venue.
• Late 2004, the SA Navy announced that the school would soon benefit from a small plot of land on which the farming projects are being developed.

Equipment:

The sailing equipment has been provided by the Navy since the beginnings of the project in 2001. The equipment to which Izivunguvungu has access to is as follows:

• Bosuns, lasers and Protons.
• Rescue facilities: rescue tender and crewed namacuras

Skills development:

Students are being trained in mechanical and ship building skills by Navy specialists."We see this as an ideal marriage between the merchant Navy and the SA Navy. We can provide the funding while the Navy can provide the facilities. Together we can make a big contribution to youth upliftment.' Salvatore Sarno.

The relationship between Izivunvungu and the Mediterranean Shipping Company Foundation for Youth

"It's all very well that the kids become good sailors, but they need other opportunities to one day be able to put money in their pockets." said Captain Sarno, who is passionate about youth empowerment.

The MSC has supported Izivunguvungu from the onset with team 'Donna Mia', the keelboat campaign of the project. In 2003 MSC took over full sponsorship of the Izivunvungu sailing school. The financial support given by MSC can be broken down as follows:

• Wages and salaries
• Food allowances for all the students and teachers of the school
• Competition clothing for the students sailing regattas
• A vehicle (VW kombi) for the transportation of the children from home to the SA Navy premises and transportation costs (petrol)
• The L26 keelboat Donna Mia Always.
• Financial support for the maintenance of building facilities
• Financing of Boat building division. One of the first projects was the restoration of old Bosun dingies donated by the navy and building a Mirror.
• MSC has work positions available for promising students within the structures of that company.

The Non -corporate relationships between Izivunguvungu and other support groups

Our other support groups are represented by a various range of private bodies. The sailing school gets support from:

• Jonathan Cole: Bridging maths and navigation classes, development of the micro farming project.
• Carla Jackson, who helps the school with gardening and micro farming projects.
• Adam Roth, who provides the students with rock climbing expertise.
• The Simonstown bakery, which provides the children with bread and pastries for the mushroom growing.
• Karen Robinson, a Navy social worker, who provides the students with life skills.
• Christa Zietsman, who gives the students Afrikaans lessons.
• Caf' Pescado's, which provides the school with prizes
• Quantum sails, which offers free sail repair.

Board

Admiral Koos Louw, Manuel Mendes, Captain Salvatore Sarno, Solomon Dipeerre, Charles Maisel, Matthew Mentz, Ian Ainslie

Funding and Expenditure Management

Core Funding

The institutional agreements is such that the corporate relationship between Izivunvungu and its two supportive bodies - MSC Foundation for Youth and the South African Navy- is unchanged. That is to say that on the one hand MSC is sponsoring the sailing school for the operating costs, this includes: salaries and wages for the full time teachers, meals, sailing clothing, transportation, administration, hardware, equipment, maintenance, etc) and that the SA Navy provides the sailing school with equipment and infrastructure. On the other hand, co-sponsors will constitute an additional source of income for Izivunguvungu.

Funding requirements

• Increased operation - operational expenditure
• Contribution to the education trust