Siyakha 1 Education Trust Learning Lab

The Siyakha Education Trust is the education and community development initiative of Resilient Property Income Fund, Fortress Property Income Fund and Lodestone REIT Limited. The Trust embarks on sustainable educational projects in rural South Africa, spanning across all 9 provinces. We assist schools which form the feeding areas and communities supporting the shopping centers and developments of the 3 listed property giants.
The Trust's focus is specialized teaching equipment, rural infrastructure investment, educator knowledge training, professional development support and special needs schools development.
The Trust takes pride in through a facilitation role with the school projects rather than a prescriptive one - complimenting the technological changes in curriculum, teaching and learning.
In short, the Siyakha Education Trust supports the tools which support education, helping to transform the human resource into an economic asset.

To date the Trust has supported education on an individual basis, helping schools and communities one project at a time. Although the end result is sustainable, relevant and value-added, the community needed a greater academic impact. More people of all ages needed the opportunity to learn, grow and adopt a skills-transfer environment. The dream was to help transform people from being a face in the crowd, to people being able to face the crowd. Combine the existing good relationship the Resilient, Fortress and Capital developments have with their communities, the impact of technology, with the education-driven Siyakha Education Trust. Thus the Siyakha Education Trust Learning Lab was born. The first one situated in Tubatse Crossing, Burgersfort.

The Learning Lab is a technological environment catering for the expectations of the modern century. The computer-based environment is conveniently situated inside Tubatse Crossing Shopping Centre, adding to the safety and familiarity aspect of the initiative. With various activity areas within the Learning Lab, people from all ages can come and learn, interact and harness the power of opening the world by the click of a button. And the best feature, the Siyakha Education Trust, is a free learning environment.

There area various areas in the Learning Lab:
The Computer Hives are situated in the middle of the Learning Lab. These are computers situated together in a hive-shaped form where people are welcome to use the units for anything from research, self-help studies to assignments.
The Quick-Fix Pillars are tree-shaped units which have 4 tablets per structure. These units are designed to cater for people who need a quick solution to check e-mails, do Internet banking to on-line shopping.
The Study Bar is a long table structure where people can bring and use their own devices for items related to the Computer Hives. Although plugs will be available, users are encouraged to bring their own chargers.
The items above will be manned by a Floor Manager, who is qualified in information technology literacy and troubleshooting.

The Study Library will be a stand-alone structure complete with self-help study guides, as well as Grade 12 past exam papers for Life Science, Accountancy and Geography.
The main feature of the Siyakha Education Trust Learning Lab, is the Think Tank. This is a learning "box" within the lab where all the training will take place. The training will include internet courses, soft skills training to guest speakers. The Think Tank caters for 30 users at a time and courses will be advertised via printed and electronic media. Bookings are essential to avoid disappointment. The Think Tank courses will be presented by qualified trainers; respected experts in their fields.

To register to make use of the Learning Lab, people need to bring their original identification documents (Id document, drivers license, proof of residence or birth certificates) to the Siyakha Education Trust Learning Lab. All users will have their thumb prints registered as an access control measure - your thumb print will become your allowance of entry. This registration is a once-off measure. Once this has been done, the user will have controlled access to the Learning Lab with their thumb print.
The Learning Lab will be a capped Wifi area, to encourage an environment exclusively dedicated to learning and training.
Each person will get a temporary Wifi code at the reception area on entry, which will allow usage of the equipment for 1hour. Extended time will be given if necessary.
The Think Tank is a training area and will not be covered by this concept.
There is a locker feature at the reception area. As no bags or refreshments will be allowed in the Learning Lab at any time, the items will be locked in one of lockers until the user is done at the facility. A lock and key will be given to each new user, which will be used to lock their individual locker. This will be a once-off issue.

The question is, why is the first Siyakha Education Trust Learning Lab earmarked for Burgersfort? Situated within a majestic mountainous backdrop, the town is not only a harmonious blend of unspoilt beauty and cosmopolitan ambiance, but based around a diverse community bursting with potential. As Limpopo is described as the gateway to Africa with its shared borders, so is Burgersfort the gateway of its own growth, economic sustainability and future. The Siyakha Education Trust believes in the community of Burgersfort and with the opportunities provides through the Learning Lab, will help to compliment tomorrow's leaders, today.... together.