Higher Education Writer
A staggering 250 000 learners drop out of school in South Africa, with 81% of Grade 4 learners proven for not being able to read for understanding.
“An educational crisis calls for an efficient solution and Buddyz on the Move is that solution.” That is how Ms Qetello Baloyi, a final year BSc Environmental and Resource Studies student at the University of Limpopo, opened her business pitch at the 2023 Entrepreneurship Intervarsity finals last December.
Baloyi, who hails from Polokwane, said Buddyz on the Move offers a threefold after-school education solution. “We offer drama, dance, poetry and music; interactive activities such as spelling bee, debate, public speaking and reading and a tutoring service in a social learning space that allows learners to take their education into their own hands.”
Her company, Baloyi said, provides after-school empowerment of young people. While offering traditional after-school support, Buddyz on the Move is unique in that it aims to save parents time, money and effort.
“Our services are available on social media and in contact. We operate from garages, churches, schools, and creches. Where you find a buddy team member, you find a centre allowing us to access a broader group of people in the community, who can afford the fees, and those who can’t.”
She added that learners in government schools did not have access to extramural activities. Buddyz on the Move takes learners to concerts and on trips. “We use a value creation framework to measure our learners’ programmes, which we share with parents.
“Over the past 10 months we have managed to raise over R1m in stipend payments for our team members from the Department of Social Development. Our revenues have increased from R14 000 to R24 000 a month, with R18 000 funding our expenses, leaving us with R6 000 profit.”
Baloyi said in the past year, they worked with 960 learners.
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