About Takane
Takane is a Sotho word that means ‘to learn under a tree’. Many of founder, Caroline’s family members have been involved, from the beginning, on a voluntary basis. It’s all about family, and giving back, and they know they are all called to play a part in this wonderful Takane dream.
Interestingly, a Google search offers other apparent meanings for Takane. It is also Japanese girl’s name, meaning ‘mountain peak’; according to a user from New York US, the name is of African origin and means ‘gift of love and chivalry’; and is also a Hebrew word from the biblical name Hannah, which means ‘favoured by God’. No matter the accuracy of these meanings, they do offer a beautiful prophetic picture for Takane Academy, and its learners.
It has been a journey, and is still a journey. At times it has been painful. We laugh together and when it is time to cry, we cry together. We exist by the grace of God, and it is amazing what He has done.
Caroline Libongani-Ngwenya, Founder and Principal
Our Mission
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We provide quality and affordable education for underprivileged children in informal settlements.
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We encourage the community to participate in developmental and self-sustaining programmes, eg feeding schemes and soup kitchens, and adolescent planned programmes...
Plus...
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We engage with the community to promote accountability for their own local economic development.
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We provide literacy programmes for the community.
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We aim to establish music, art and drama training, and other outreach programmes, in the community.
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As needed, we take action, and mediate with the police and social services when a child is endangered.
Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 (AMP)
Our History
Founder and Principal, Caroline Libongani-Ngwenya, shares some of the history of Takane.
Beginnings:
My daughter, Normazita was born in 2001, and Takane Academy began that year as a pre-school in our family home. I couldn’t afford to send her out to a pre-school. I believe God spoke life into me to say that, with the art background that I had, and with the art therapy I offered to help children with learning problems, I should do this. By the time she was 4, we had 10 children in the pre-school.
The children:
These children came in needing help, but we were not charging anything. The first was the child of our neighbour, and then word went around. God did all of the advertising. He knew where the needs were, and brought the right children at the right time, to come and get the necessary help – to walk this road with us. And it was children that really needed help, not just any child. He handpicked each child, and that’s why Takane exists.
God is really remarkable, and to see the children that have walked this road with us is phenomenal. Every child that walks through our gate has a story, and very quickly we see why He brought them to us, and the part He has called Takane to play… to give them hope and to change their lives.
Often, we need to be broken for God to rebuild us, and He does this for each and every child who comes to Takane. When they arrive, they may not say much, but in a very short space of time the Lord shows us where we need to pay a part so He can begin repairing and restoring.
The property:
The family living next door to the pre-school had seen what we had been doing in the community, and wanted to donate their property to us. They wanted to plough back into the community, saying that this was the part that they could play. When covid hit in 2020, there were a lot of changes and they could not go through with the donation, but by the grace of God, it was possible for us to pay a very minimal amount, and the property became ours in early 2021. This was nothing short of a miracle.
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Growth:
After a number of years of operating as a pre-school, we were encouraged by Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to go further and include the primary grades, and in 2010, Takane was registered as an NPO. We have begun the long process in terms of registration with the GDE. The higher grades were added in 2020. We have the zoning, health and occupancy certificates, and now teacher information is being registered with the GDE. It will possibly take another year for them to consider a government subsidy for the school.