By Louise and the KTD196 Dream Team | Jack of all trades, master of none!
Thank you for your continued support of the children and women of KTD196. To all our new supporters, this report is going to be a little different, please bear with me!
Three weeks ago I shared that I needed to go to hospital and have an operation, I wasn't sure how long I would be out of action. I am truly amazed at this wonderful community of supporters, I did not expect to receive the support I did from you! Thank you so much for the emails of support I have received. Thank you so much, 3 of you even came to the hospital to visit me which was an amazing blessing. Like so many of the people, KTD196 works with, I am a foreigner, and to have people take time out of their busy schedule to come to the hospital to encourage me was just so humbling.
I just wanted to share how grateful I am for your support of me personally and of Keep The Dream196. Your role in this community is irreplaceable, you enable us to continue doing what we do, thank you.
Ok, so let's get back to business.
Through your support, we were able to send 100's of kids to camp for 3weeks, and even though I wasn't there, it didn't stop my staff from giving their best to the children. We were able to run various adult and children's camps with new and old partners as we recover from the effects of Covid in terms of activities. I was able to go there for 2 visits during the 3weeks which was just wonderful because it reminds me of why I started KTD196 in the first place.
I want to tell you a story of one of the participants called Sharon, she is 14yrs old, an orphan as both parents had passed due to AIDS years before, she lives with her 18yr old sister in a very poor village and they struggle daily with basic issues such as food. Sharon is a clever girl, she is top of her class and her grade but she is very sad all the time. When you see her walking toward you, she is thin, her head is down, and she doesn't lift her feet to walk but scraps them along the ground. She appears like the weight of the world is on her shoulders, her face is sad, emotionally she is very flat, and she struggles to share what is really going on in her world.
Sharon goes to our scout group, it is the one highlight of her week. She wanted badly to come to camp but her sister refused. You see they shared a secret, Sharon and the sister were terrified that we would find out Sharon was HIV positive and on treatment. They were terrified they would be judged, mistreated, and discriminated against. When Sharon finally shared with me her secret, I gave her the biggest hug, and she melted into my arms and sobbed. Sadly, discrimination against those infected with HIV still exists however by sharing her secret we were able to reassure both sisters that we have a number of children and adults at camp on treatment and that we are more than able to ensure that the kids take their treatment on time. What we also do, unbeknown to most of the kids is that we give extra food to those who are HIV positive to ensure we build up their bodies to fight opportunistic infections.
Sharon came to camp, and on my second visit to camp, this young girl came running up to me with a huge smile on her face, her head held high and a spring in her step. It was as if she had found her tribe! She was HAPPY! Apart from learning new skills, she was free to be Sharon. Because of your support we were able to take 100s of kids to camp and change their lives. Not just that but because of the poverty situations these kids come from, we were able to buy warm clothes for some of the children and blankets. Sometimes children at home only have one blanket between 2 or 3 children so when they come to camp, they don't have a blanket to sleep in and where we camp is very cold. You make this happen.
I know it is tempting to think "Oh it's just camp", but I have some of our original beneficiaries from 2002 still ring me and remind me of how much they appreciated the opportunity to go camping, and how great it was to get out of the village and its pressures and come to camp to experience new things, do new things, make new friends and be kids, be accepted and be loved.
YOU MADE THIS HAPPEN! It is not just giving money, it is giving hope! It's about changing lives. Sharon will remain with our program and return as an adult leader, she is now excited about life, and she is keen to return to school and make a difference, not as a victim of HIV but as an overcomer of difficult life circumstances.
Thank you once again
Blessings
Louise
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