Cape Town - Eight children who have been living in the Paint the City refugee camp in Bellville have passed their matric exams despite adversities.
It has also been three years since hundreds of refugees made the camp their home.
Going without the use of a toilet or shower or living in cramped conditions has not stopped the pupils from reaching their goals.
Last week, Western Cape Education Department of Education spokesperson, Kerry Mauchline, said the matric class of 2022 had a pass rate of 81.4 % with 49 102 candidates who had passed their exams, stating it was the largest number of successful candidates they have ever had.
She added many did so well, they were eligible to apply to universities or colleges.
Mauchline said the pupils had faced challenges of the pandemic and load shedding and put in the extra hours and hard work for their future.
For Tantine Negerenza, 21, it has been several sacrifices and challenges from studying in a cramped tent with 500 people and sharing a make-shift home with nine of her family members.
She attended Bellville-South High School.
“I passed with a Bachelors and I could not believe that I made it because I went through so much,” she said.
“We have been living in South Africa, Cape Town for 13 years and my home country is Burundi.
“It was such a stressful time for me.
“I had to deal with loud noises and I had to make a decision to rather study at night when it is peaceful.
“It is also crowded.
“I had dreams of becoming a doctor before but I had to change my strategy to rather do history and Mathematics Lit because I want to be a lawyer one day.
“We all have dreams and mine is to be in a comfortable where I am able to study.”
Hafiz Mohammed, one of the leaders at the camp and secretary-general of Women and Children at Concern (WCC), said: “WCC International would like to congratulate all less privileged 2022 matriculant children, especially refugee children, who are kept and forced in unfavourable conditions tightened their ability to success, but still managed to fight and clinch the amazing results with the high pass rate and all others who have managed to pass and get their matric certificates,” he said.
“WCC is very proud of you all and will continue to fight and advocate for the rights of the vulnerable and refugees to be upheld and respected and treated equally like all other human beings in the Republic of South Africa.
“WCC encourages you to pursue your career dream till you get it.”
The camp came into existence during the start of the 2020 lockdown and pandemic.
Since then, it has become home to more than 500 people who live in makeshift homes made out of cardboard inside a huge marquee tent.
It also marks the anniversary of the arrest of their leader or president, JP Ballous who has been detained for various charges including assault.
Mohammed said they were frustrated with the court case which had been dragging for years with Ballous maintaining his innocence.
“He is being persecuted for exposing the inhuman treatments, corruptions of all sorts refugees, asylum seekers and other foreign nationals continue to face here in the Republic of South Africa,” he said.
“WCC International will never be shaken to stop us from exposing the wrongs in order to save humanity. During a previous interview with the Weekend Argus, Vanessa Scholtz said they were unable to comment about the conditions and added it was a Department of Home Affairs issue.
Esther Lewis of the Department of Social Development said their officials would assist those in need in the camp once they received a report while Matthew du Plessis, provincial manager (acting), Western Cape for the SA Human Rights Commission said they were aware of the conditions and were monitoring it.
The Department of Home Affairs did not respond to previous communication on the Paint the City saga.