WATCH: Abbotts College principal invited to speak at the United Nations
COLIN Northmore, the new principal of Abbotts College in Suideroord, has been invited to speak at a United Nations’ side event this week at the High-level Political Forum.
COLIN Northmore, the new principal of Abbotts College in Suideroord, has been invited to speak at a United Nations’ side event this week at the High-level Political Forum.
The High-level Political Forum will review the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals with all member states and specialised agencies.
Three2Six
Before his recent move to Abbotts College, Northmore was the principal at Sacred Heart College in Observatory for 16 years, where he founded a project called Three2Six in 2008.
The project runs in three schools between 3pm and 6pm every day. Its focus is on educating the children of refugees and asylum seekers.
Northmore will be speaking about this initiative at the UN forum.
“I call myself ‘Johannesburg’s best-paid beggar’ because we’ve raised about R64-million in the 11 years that the project has been running, and we’ve served 620 000 meals.
“We feed and clothe the children, we buy their resources, we teach them maths and English, and the whole purpose is to get them into the school.”
Sacred Heart College was the first host school of the project, where nearly 100 children are given three hours of education, daily.
That number soon grew as the Observatory Girls Primary School opened its doors to more children in 2010, and in 2016 even more were accommodated at the Holy Family College.
With over 300 children, their dedicated teachers ensure that every child receives the necessary training, knowledge development and preparation to enter a regular school.
Abbotts College, under Northmore’s leadership, is committed to social justice, and learners are required to think about their position and agency in a changing the world and to become a positive influence.
World sustainability goals
The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in 2019 will be convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council and will run from July 9 to 18. The three-day ministerial meeting of the forum takes place between July 16 and July 18.
This year South Africa will be reporting on the World Sustainability Goals, the UN’s blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.
This year’s theme is “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”.
The goals under review are:
• Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
• Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries.
• Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
• Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
• Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and the revitalistion of global partnership for sustainable development.
Northmore will be focusing on goals 4 and 16.
Indlulamithi
Northmore started another project called Indlulamithi, which is the isiZulu word for giraffe.
“It derives from the idea that the giraffe eats the sweet leaves at the top of the tree and doesn’t settle for rubbish on the floor.”
This programme is a collaboration between all the schools in Yeoville and Sacred Heart. The idea is to make sure that all children in Yeoville get a world-class education.
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Get regular news updates sent directly to your inbox: Newsletter-Signup
