Prof Fanelwa Ngece-Ajayi. Image: Harriet Box

University of the Western Cape’s Deputy Dean for Research & Innovation at the Natural Sciences Faculty, Prof Fanelwa Ngece-Ajayi, is a finalist in the NGO category of the 2024/2025 NSTF-South32 Awards for the work of the NGO she leads - AmaQawe ngeMfundo.

The NGO was established to bridge the gap between high school and university for matric learners from under-resourced schools, particularly in the sciences. Their work currently benefits learners at Luhlaza and Joe Slovo high schools in Khayelitsha.

“AmaQawe ngeMfundo was started because of a need that I saw, working at the University where students come and were unfamiliar with the lab environment. They were unfamiliar with lab conduct and were unfamiliar, with how to position themselves to become successful in the field of chemistry, or any other science fields for that matter,” said Prof Ngece-Ajayi.

Reacting to the news of her nomination, Dean of the Natural Sciences Faculty, Prof David Holgate, expressed his excitement. “It goes without saying that as a faculty we are passionate about STEM education. 

Passionate because we love science, but also passionate because of the doors that access to STEM disciplines opens.  

“Prof Ngece-Ajayi's work with AmaQawe ngeMfundo is founded on these passions, and she has an infectious ability to mentor and inspire learners and colleagues. Making Science accessible to learners in schools where the resources are often fewer builds not only into the learners' futures but to our community of Science,” said Prof Holgate.

Prof Ngece-Ajayi started the NGO in February 2017 to help learners transition to tertiary education and make the opportunities offered by tertiary education accessible.

“The idea was to have the learners, in the environment, at the schools, to do experiments there with our team (of volunteers) from third year to post-grad students who were UWC students at the time.

Prof Fanelwa Ngece-Ajayi. Image: Ruvan Boshoff/UWC

“We brought the experiments to them but apart from that, we also introduced them to professionals. So we would have workshops on career guidance, we would have workshops on entrepreneurship, so if you (as a learner) want to pursue other avenues apart from Science, we didn’t want to exclude you from Amahawe ngeMfundo because you didn’t do natural sciences.  

“If you do natural sciences, physics and maths in high school and succeed at university, what are the options in terms of business that you can pursue, which is why we brought in successful individuals who grew up in similar communities to inspire them,” said Prof Ngece-Ajayi.

She said that work with learners has branched out into practically helping them access funding for tertiary education.

Professor Ngece-Ajayi says AmaQawe ngeMfundo has greatly benefited from many partnerships over the years with visitors from abroad, and locally, De Beers and the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS).

“I am an alumnus, and I was a co-chair of this organisation at some point. Colleagues there had come to do some work on Saturday, in terms of tutoring and motivation. We now, currently, have the Lady in Red Opera, run by Mr Vukile Sodlongwana, which assists us to apply for, and get funding for students to pursue higher education,” said Prof Ngece-Ajayi.

She also praised UWC’s Community Engagement Unit, which sponsored a major part of a study guide alongside SAYAS during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while many schools remained closed, to assist learners.

Prof Ngece-Ajayi said that through word of mouth and engagement, her organisation draws sponsorships to keep the organisation going. 

“There are expenses that are involved, resources for our programmes and some remuneration for our tutors. Not really a salary but maybe a stipend for transport money to be able to do the volunteer work.

“We have kids who often come to our programme hungry, so we need support in terms of food that we can provide before our seminars and programmes. Those are some of the important things that we need. We would appreciate any support provided to us to ensure that AmaQawe ngeMfundo continues to flourish, “ said Prof Ngece-Ajayi.