Kitana Inderpal, a 10-year-old Witpoortjie learner, is making waves with her superior knowledge of English and is on track to compete internationally at the AsiaRope International English Olympiad, to be held later this year in Thailand.

Kitana achieved gold status at the school level, placed third in the national round of the South African English Olympiad, and made it to second place in the AsiaRope National round, thereby securing her invitation to the international competition.

“I’ve always loved English and reading,” says Kitana, adding that JK Rowling is her favourite author.

“My mom told me about the English Olympiad, and I entered just for fun, but then did much better than anyone expected.

Also read: ALERT: Major weather system to batter SA this week

“It is challenging, but a lot of fun.”

Proud mom Melissa says she is extremely proud of her daughter’s achievements thus far.

“We’ve resolved to do everything in our power to make sure that she can take full advantage of this opportunity,” says Melissa.

“Unfortunately, the cost of attending an international competition is astronomical and well beyond the means of most people.

“I’ve started numerous initiatives, like competitions and raffles, to raise the necessary funds. I’ve also started a BackaBuddy campaign.

“We’ve gone through the various initiatives and managed to raise a lot of the money required, but we’re not quite there yet. The deadline for confirmation of her participation and booking is fast approaching. We would appreciate any assistance that we can get from the community.”

If you would like to contribute to Kitana’s quest for international English Olympiad glory, contact Melissa on 076 618 9270 or email her at melissainderpal@gmail.com.

Alternatively, you can contribute directly to the BackaBuddy fund at https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/help-kitana-represent-south-africa.