Round Square Africa Info.pdf - St George's Diocesan School

A Brief History of Round Square in Africa
by: Courtney Jones (Head of Round Square, Dainfern College, 2012)
On the continent where life began, where landscapes are vast and where legends have been born is
one of the many homes of Round Square. This mighty organisation first reached African soil in 1989
with the pioneering school being Starehe Boys School in Kenya.
In 1998, under the guidance of Anne van Zyl, David Wylde and Tessa Fairbairn, St Stithians Boys and
Girls Colleges and St Cyprian’s School became the first South African members at the Athenian
School Conference in California in 1998. Tiger Kloof Educational Institution followed in 2000 and
Stanford Lake College in 2003. This resulted in a growth of awareness of Round Square in Africa,
leading to its eventual expansion to other schools in South Africa, Kenya and Namibia.
Round Square has produced many unforgettable conferences under the African sun, promoting the
youth to come together to work towards a better world. As an organisation, it has allowed the world
to unite in a way that is totally unique. Africa has made Round Square proud in many ways, from
having a Kurt Hahn Prize winner to many people who have selflessly contributed to Round Square as
an International Organisation:
Nqobani Mkhwanazi from St Cyprian’s School received the Kurt Hahn Prize in 2002 for her
pioneering work in Aids Awareness whereby she started the Noepsie Badge project, selling
badges through the RS Schools world-wide to assist HIV positive mums and babies.
Jen Wallace and Sonia Christian and have both served as project leaders on Round Square
International Service Projects.
Anne van Zyl, Tessa Fairbairn, Peter Habberton and John O’Connor have all been the Africa
representatives on the Round Square Board.
Anthony Haggie is the Chairperson of the Friends of Round Square – South Africa (FORS).
In 2003 St Cyprian’s and St Stithian’s jointly hosted the international conference.
Brian Dawson is the current Executive Director of Round Square.
The following have been made Honorary Life Members of Round Square – Tessa Fairbairn,
Wendy Kerr, David Matthews, Anne van Zyl and Barry Hart.
Africa has also hosted the RSIS Philipolis Service project and another one is due to start in
Mpumalanga in 2012.
In 2012 Brookhouse School and Penryn College co-host the international conference.
In 2012 we celebrate another step forward as Young Round Square is launched in Africa, with two
mini-conferences hosted by St Cyprian’s School and Cornwall Hill College.
Round Square in Africa has come a long way, and we are so proud. It is a tool that has given us the
power of change: power to change ourselves, power to change the circumstances of those less
fortunate and ultimately the power to change the world around us.
7 | U pdated: 2012/07