Science in their own language

AmaQawe ngeMfundo shatters language barriers to enable greater access to science education

- Jamaine Krige

In South Africa's township schools, where science labs are rare and language barriers often stifle curiosity, AmaQawe ngeMfundo (Heroes through Education) is transforming how science is taught both visually and verbally.

The NGO is redefining STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) access by making science exciting, accessible, and relevant while nurturing a new generation of local problem-solvers.

Founded by Associate Professor Fanelwa Ngece-Ajayi, a physical chemist and deputy dean of research and innovation at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) with a passion for grassroots change, AmaQawe was built on a simple premise: potential exists everywhere, but opportunity doesn't.

"The project was inspired by the learners themselves," says Ngece-Ajayi. "They had the potential but lacked the tools, the labs, and often, the belief that STEM was for them."