Taking its name from the Xhosa word for ‘Twin’, Amawele facilitates partnerships between schools in Ireland and South Africa, to promote cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries. Each school is twinned with one other, and the students and teachers exchange information to gain insight into some of the practical realities facing their counterparts.

Amawele is currently working with around 70 schools in the Eastern and Western Capes, identifying needs and supporting them through developing facilities, materials, training, food and healthcare.  It is planned to increase this to 100 schools by the end of 2008 and to 200 schools by 2010.  The main focus is on raising the number of young people in South Africa who have access to properly structured education at both primary and second level. Amawele’s aim in Ireland is to give Irish young people the opportunity to grow in understanding about the world in which they live and to develop a confidence about the difference that they as individuals, and their communities, can make in the world and in their own lives.

Amawele receives funding from private donors and, since July 2008, has been in receipt of funding from Irish Aid ensuring the programmes expand and continue.

20 young people from two township schools, who are twinned with schools in Ireland,had the opportunity, on Friday November 14th, to meet Jamie Boag and the Green Dragon crew who hosted a tour of the Green Dragon during its stop over in Cape Town.

The schools are part of the Amawele School Twinning Project.Learners from Steenberg High School and Qingqa Mntwana School will participate in the Lets Do It Schools initiative as a result of their visit to The Green Dragon today.  Steenberg High School is twinned with Gaelcholaiste Cheitinn in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary and Qingqa Mntwana School is twinned with Kildare Place Primary School in Rathmines, Dublin. While the Green Dragon was berthed in Cape Town learners from other Amawele Schools - Agape School, St Mary's, Bongolethu and Cafda - also had the opportunity to visit the Waterfront and as well as viewing the yachts took park in events organised by Volvo and Ericsson.

Amawele was the recent winner of the Design Business Ireland - Irish Design Effectiveness Award for 'Not for Profit Literature' for the Amawele Schools Pack designed by Huguenot. As a new organisation aiming to establish itself, Amawele required a strong suite of communications material that would readily convey the unique two-way nature of its offering – clearly outlining the advantages and benefits that could be gained by schools and students in Ireland as well as those in South Africa. The brief demanded the development of a distinctive, creative and most importantly, highly effective promotional pack. The packs needed to drive not merely awareness of the programme but actual participation and involvement.

Further to this Sherry FitzGerald as a sponsor and supporter of Amawele and its work was nominated for a Chambers Ireland President’s Award for CSR in 2008. This nomination is significant in that it is a unique competition that offers the business community a chance to promote their efforts in CSR and gain recognition for best practice. The award aims to recognise the work being carried out by companies in Ireland in improving the lives of their employees and enhancing the civic environment in which they operate.