In August 2024, nine skilled volunteers from Salesforce participated in an on-site Team4Tech project to support LEAP Science and Maths Schools in South Africa.
Building on a Legacy of High-Quality Education for Students in South Africa
The South African education system faces stark challenges, with only one in every hundred children who begin Grade 1 ultimately graduating. This statistic is even more disheartening in the townships, where students not only confront economic hardship but are often impacted by high levels of domestic violence, with two-thirds of township students affected. During apartheid, black South Africans were denied access to critical subjects like math and science, creating long-standing gaps in education and opportunity. Founded in 1990 as an evolution of the Langa Education Assistance Program (LEAP), LEAP Science and Maths Schools have become a beacon of hope and transformation, providing high-quality, low-fee education to over 1,500 secondary students in under-resourced South African townships.
Since 2014, LEAP has partnered with Team4Tech to equip students with the skills and resources necessary to thrive in STEM fields. Together, they have worked to increase the schools’ impact, integrating technology into the classroom through computer labs and teacher training initiatives, expanding learning opportunities for students, and closing gaps in digital literacy and access.
Skilled Volunteers Bring New Tech Environment to South African Students
To continue their mission, LEAP added two new schools in January 2024, bringing the total number of campuses to eight. For this particular project, Salesforce collaborated with LEAP 4 and LEAP 7, a newly established campus in Paarl that previously lacked a computer lab.
Over the course of the project, nine skilled volunteers from Salesforce helped transform the new learning environment in Paarl. They configured 30 Team4Tech laptops for the computer lab, bringing the first-ever computer access to many of the Grade 8 and 9 students, some of whom had limited or no prior experience with technology. The excitement in the air was palpable as students and teachers celebrated the lab’s completion, knowing that they now had the same opportunities as their peers at other LEAP schools.
A New Level of Digital Literacy for Students and Educators
Team4Tech’s group of skilled volunteers from Salesforce collaborated with LEAP to set up Google accounts and emails for all students. Students quickly began connecting through Google Chat.
Volunteers also introduced Google Classroom for students and teachers alike, aligning with LEAP’s strategy to standardize Google Classroom use across all campuses. In just a few days, teachers were assigning lessons, and students were engaging with their work online, a development that broadened access to learning and brought the curriculum into the digital age.
Tailored digital literacy sessions were held based on each student’s existing knowledge, covering essential skills from online safety to the basics of Scratch programming. The lab was a constant hub of activity as students cycled through, eager to explore the new digital landscape at their fingertips.
The time with the kids was incredible. It felt great to be able to come away with a tangible objective accomplished (getting every student set up with gmail and Google Classroom), and also getting 1×1 time with the students to have more relational conversations. The time with the teachers was also impactful, and the time with one another, especially with our Team4Tech lead Nyagaki and Jeremiah from LEAP, was a major highlight.”
— Salesforce Volunteer
The volunteers also joined students each morning in their Life Orientation class, a safe space where students candidly shared the daily challenges they face living in the townships. Here, volunteers took time to mentor students in both group and individual settings, covering topics from career paths to leadership and resilience. These sessions offered invaluable perspectives for the students and were often the highlight of each day, as the volunteers provided guidance with deep empathy and understanding.
For teachers, Salesforce volunteers provided hands-on, one-on-one training in using Google Classroom, managing Google Calendar for team schedules, and creating and analyzing data in Google Sheets. These skills will enable LEAP 7 educators to streamline their planning and communication, ultimately enhancing their support for students.
Skilled Volunteers Proudly Leave Behind New Tools and Applicable Trainings
By the close of the project, the team of skilled volunteers from Salesforce did their part to help create a robust learning environment at LEAP 7, bridging technology gaps and inspiring the students to embrace new opportunities. Volunteers left LEAP with a newly functional computer lab, trained teachers, and students equipped with skills for the future—an impactful step toward LEAP’s goal of bringing technology and opportunity to every one of their campuses.
Team4Tech and Salesforce previously joined forces to support LEAP in April of 2024. Read more about that project here.
This is just one example of Team4Tech’s global contributions to education. Our organization continues to accelerate the impact of nonprofit organizations globally.