Reports on Lifeskills for 8 children in South Africa - Pilot

Project Report | Sep 15, 2026
Empowering the Future: Heritage Day 2026

By Louise | Managing Director

Sepedi (Northern Sotho)

Dumela – Hello (to one person)
Dumelang – Hello (to a group or as a sign of respect)
Thobela – Formal, respectful greeting (widely used across Limpopo)
O kae? – How are you? (singular)
Le kae? – How are you? (plural / respectful)
Ke gona – I am fine

Xitsonga

Avuxeni – Good morning / General greeting
Xewani – Hello (respectful greeting, often accompanied by a light clap)
Minjhani? – How are you? (plural / respectful)
Kunjhani? – How are you? / How are things?
Ndzi kona – I am fine / I am here

Well come to your language lesson!!! Why not give it a try?

Celebrating Culture, Empowering the Future: Heritage Day 2026

On September 24th, our youth and Scouts will gather at Ntwanano Primary School in Burgersdorp for our annual Heritage Day celebration under the banner “Proud of our past, inspired for our future!”

For many of the children we serve, daily life is a constant effort focused simply on survival. In the struggle to meet basic needs, traditional games, indigenous foods, and cultural storytelling often slip away. Heritage Day provides a vibrant, joyful space for these young people to reconnect with their roots—tasting traditional dishes, performing cultural dances, and wearing their heritage with pride.

Learning, Protection, and Diversity

While the day is filled with music, poetry, and traditional outfits, it is also a vital educational platform. We are taking this opportunity to weave critical life skills into the celebration:

Diversity Awareness: Helping children explore the rich mosaic of cultures across South Africa, fostering deep mutual respect and unity.
Child Protection & Participation: Ensuring children understand their rights, know how to stay safe, and recognize that their voices hold power.

Redefining Tradition for Positive Change

Too often, "culture" or "tradition" is used as a reason to resist progress or uphold harmful practices. We are using this event to reframe that mindset. By grounding children in their cultural identity while teaching them about rights and equality, we equip them with the vocabulary and confidence to challenge outdated ideas and champion peaceful, positive change in their communities.

Your Impact in Action

An opportunity like this—and the year-round youth development that supports it—is only possible because of your continued generosity through GlobalGiving. You aren't just funding a day of fun games, traditional food, and prizes; you are providing a safe, transforming environment where young minds gain the tools to build a better future.

Thank you for standing alongside our children and making these life-changing moments happen.

Blessings to you

Louise

Xitsong and Sepedi Traditional Dress

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Sep 9, 2026
Camporee Prep, Clean Audit & Expansion!

By Louise | Managing Director

" Le kae? Re gona, le kae?" (Sepedi greeting for “How are you? I am fine!)

Things have been moving at full speed here at Keep The Dream196! From competitive field prep to structural milestones, here is what’s happening on the ground across our programs.

Excitement Building for Camporee Competitions

Our youth groups are currently hard at work honing their skills in navigation, first aid, pioneering, and team building as they prepare for the upcoming Camporee competitions. There is an incredible buzz in the air as the children practice together, supporting one another and pushing their boundaries to represent their troops with pride.

Clean Financial Bill of Health: Audit Finalised

We are pleased to share that our annual financial audit has officially been completed, receiving an unqualified opinion—the highest level of clean assurance an organization can receive. Financial transparency and stewardship are core to everything we do. If you would like a copy of our audit report to review, please simply ask—we are more than happy to share it with you! (director@keepthedream196.com)

Welcoming New Staff Costed by Dlalanathi

We have expanded our capacity on the ground thanks to our partners at Dlalanathi, who are fully funding the cost of a new staff member for our team. This extra hand on deck allows us to deepen our psychosocial and community empowerment work, ensuring our field teams remain strong and well-supported.

150 SHGs, 12 CLAs, and the Path to Federation

Our Self-Help Group (SHG) movement continues to thrive:

150 Self-Help Groups are actively meeting, saving, and supporting local households.
12 Cluster Level Associations (CLAs) are operating smoothly to guide and support local groups.
Federation Readiness: We are actively preparing to establish a regional Federation to represent and govern these community networks at a higher structural level.

To strengthen family ties and community ownership, we are also opening new youth and children's groups directly attached to these SHGs. This ensures the mothers and ladies are actively involved in facilitators' roles, supporting and championing their children's activities and safety.

Financial Headwinds & The Urgent Need for Recurring Donors

While our impact continues to expand, we are facing real financial challenges due to rising operational costs and shifting funding landscapes. To keep our field officers in the villages and our youth programs running uninterrupted, we urgently need regular monthly donors.

Even a small, predictable monthly commitment gives us the stability needed to plan ahead and protect our children and women. If you have been considering supporting KTD196 on an ongoing basis, now is the time where your recurring gift will make a vital difference.

Thank you for standing with us, believing in our vision, and walking alongside our children and communities!

Blessings

Louise

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Sep 2, 2026
Lasting Transformation doesn't just happen!

By Louise | Managing Director

Ronny 2026

Avuxeni Minjhane! (Hello!)

Real, lasting transformation in a child’s life doesn't happen overnight—it is built week by week, badge by badge, and year by year. For 23 years we have been working away quietly with over 33,000 children from Limpopo.

On our website’s Voice of the Child section, youth like Ronny share what happens when a child receives long-term support:

"I started Scouts in 2004. Before I joined the program, I was a bully... I was very nasty, I was a thief and a gambling fiend, I had many girlfriends, I was not a very nice person at all, all I had to look forward to at 18 was learning to smoke and dying of AIDS. Then I came to the KTD196 program and it taught me to stand up and say no. I became someone who is respected despite what I had done in the past, now I am a husband, father and university graduate and fully employed. I now have a voice, people listen to me... because of KTD196 I am a leader at work, in my home and in my community."

— Ronny, aged 32 yrs

Why Sustained Giving is the Engine of Long-Term Change

When Ronny joined Keep The Dream196 in 2004, he didn't transform in a single weekend camp. It took years of weekly troop meetings, dedicated field officer mentoring, leadership workshops, and safe environments for him to move from a troubled youth to a confident leader who advocates for others.

One-time gifts respond to immediate emergencies, but sustained monthly giving powers the multi-year journeys of children like Ronny and Sharmaine as they grow from Cubs to Rovers and beyond.

How You Can Help Build the Next Generation of Leaders

There are thousands more children waiting for this exact same chance, and we need your support now. By becoming a recurring donor on GlobalGiving today, you directly fund the consistent, uninterrupted presence of KTD196 field staff and scouting modules in rural Limpopo:

$15/month supplies ongoing badge materials and educational handbooks for a child group.
$30/month covers monthly transportation and support for field officers reaching remote villages.
$50/month sponsors full annual participation, child rights advocacy, and outdoor leadership camps for multiple vulnerable youth.

Every monthly pledge ensures that when a child enters our program this week, we can promise to stand by them until they graduate as confident community leaders.

That is the gift you bring, and that is the legacy you leave. We cannot do this on our own.

Blessings,

Louise