Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers

I am so VERY VERY EXCITED!

On Sunday we are celebrating 20yrs of Scouts in Limpopo!

We will be having a return of young people that you have been introduced to over the years, they are coming together with the Court of Honours (the leadership committee for each group) from each troop to celebrate this victory. 20YEARS!!! Who would have thought it would happen!

Let me give you the back story just in case you don’t know it.

In 2003, I came to South Africa to work with the Department of Health and seconded to another Non Governmental Organization in Tzaneen. It was there I met Zabe (Elizabeth – our program manager).

After a SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats Analysis) with approx. 200 Home Based Care Workers, I was tasked to “Do Something” for the kids of Greater Tzaneen. You see these Home Based Care Workers identified that the children’s plight was so soul destroying, that they struggled with the sense of hopelessness. They felt they could do nothing. This was during a peak HIV/AIDS pandemic, so the kids were reacting to what was happening at home, at school, in their communities, they were not coping. There responses where to sexually debut early (get pregnant and infected by HIV), drop out of school, get into drugs, alcohol, crime or suicide.

The Home Based Care Workers were struggling to cope with this, they were dealing with adults who were dying every day, but it was the children that broke their hearts. So, after much research and questioning the children we started the bones of our program in November 2003 with 13 girls. In 2004 we trained 50 new volunteers and by the end of the year we had over 1,100 children in the program.

In 2007 co- founder Elizabeth and I (Louise) realized that our model was working so well and the impact was already being identified by the children and their parents, that we decided it was time to give up our secure day jobs and invest in these amazing children full time – KTD 196 was officially registered as an Non Profit Company in 2007.

So now, 20 years later, lots of blood, sweat and tears later, as we have buried some of our kids due to being born with HIV or who have died from other illness or accidents, we have continued on. We have walked a 20yr journey with some of our kids, many have gone on to get married and have children of their own, some of their children also come to our groups. Most have gone on to reach their dreams of being doctors, lawyers, nurses, social workers, trades people etc, in fact there are a lot who have gone into the service professions because of the foundation laid by KTD196.

So next week, I will forward pictures and write more comprehensively but I just wanted to give you a back drop to what is happening on Sunday. People are coming from all over the country to celebrate this mile stone, all of which was made possible by your support!

One gentlemen recently sent me a note to say “Life is hard as it is...not having parents to be there is a false start for a child...I hope any child has the opportunity to flourish...I hope this donation helps.” Just having people like yourself walk this journey with us is humungous. Thank you for your support and care for the children we serve.

Blessings

Louise & Elizabeth

Links:

• Edge of Adventure Pod Cast with Louise
• We have a new look website including a shop, hop on over!
• Facebook is a great way to keep up to date!