Lifeskills 2,743 vulnerable children South Africa

Dear All,

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all our supporters, friends and partners. You make this work possible.

Greetings from a cold South Africa! Well I shouldnt really complain because its usually 24C during the day BUT at night, where I live! BRRRRRR!

I am writing to give you an update regarding the camps we are holding. Last week we had 60 children attend, 20 from our partner in Mpumalanga called Seed Of Light. Our partners enable KTD196 to spread our wings further afield and impact a greater number of children. We work in collaboration with the same goal in mind, to build resilience in orphaned and vulnerable children.

The children came and develop their skills but also added new skills to their arsenals. Not just map reading and First Aid but cross communication (Siswati, SeSetho and Xitsonga languages), leadership, small group dynamics, small group management, project management. WOW, these kids stepped up to the tasks incredibly well.

Having camp enables me to spend more time with the children than out in the villages. I get to hear their stories, their triumphs and their tragedies. I am constantly amazed at what these kids survive and with the assistance of KTD196 and our partners, what they are able to overcome and build towards a future with resilience and power.

I have included one such story here from Brilliant.

If you would like to contribute towards the camps we are running, it is not too late, I have added a link below

Thank you for partnering with us

Louise

My name is Brilliant M. and I am 17yrs of age, I am from Acornhoek Mpumalanga and I attend Seeds of Light Community Based Organization and I have been attending SoL since 2013. I started to attend Keep The Dream196’s children program called scouts in 2015.

Before I was a scout, firstly I was a boy who always helps others, so when I heard the program scouts I asked Mum Khensani ( a staff member from the local drop in centre) about Scouts and she said it was a good program and that I should join. After I joined scouts I saw something different on my life because when my mother was no longer alive, she died 23^rd May 2013 I felt no longer alive as well. My step father had to look after when my mum died; he was a good man and treated me as if I had the same blood as him. He treated me like his son but that didn’t change the fact that I felt dead inside.

So I met some boy from scouts who guided me and give me many ideas to do many things and to forget about death. I was thinking about my mother’s death all the time before I joined KTD196’s program. I felt like dying, I felt scouts wasn’t going to help me. So I tell myself that trying scouts is a good thing.

So, on a Friday I went to scouts and I have received more information than what I got when I was sitting at home. I received the scout laws and how people are living while they are scouts. So I learned the laws and promise and also the story of Baden Powell.

In 2017, the issue of the death of my mother, it was no longer heavy on my heart. So I tried to forget about her death, I told myself that my mother is not going to come back, so the only thing I can do is accept her death. KTD196 program did help, I was asked to draft a poem about death and how heartless I felt. So I wrote about what I was feeling, I was encouraged to go and perform my poem in front of people. I was not scared to talk publically because I know about death very well.

So I found I have many talents after performing my poem, so I told Penelope (a staff member of Seeds of Light), I can go ahead and write my poems and she found a teacher to help me to write more poems. After I joined scouts, I obeyed the scout laws and promise and I became a patrol leader. I was leading my group well. I was doing a good job. After being a patrol leader I became a troop leader showing everyone respect and how to live by the law and promise.

Now I feel like my heart is filled with scouts and I have a plan for my future. I want to be a graphic engineer because some of the things from engineering I already know through my research.

If you are a child, 11-18yrs, you are still young, you are not older than others, you need to treat others equally because life outside is difficult and you need support, why I am saying that is because many children are lost and they take their life like they are old while they are still young, They do things that only adults should do and not what children should do. Some end up being street kids because they try adult things like alcohol and smoking dangerous drugs. I want this message to help other children to have hope.

Links:

• Our microproject for Camp
• Our Facebook Page for daily updates of activities
• Our Website

Thank you to everyone for your support of this adventure. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of the children we serve. We could not do this work without you!

Seriously, we need everyone from the volunteers to the paid staff, from the Board to the partners we have, the collaborators and the donors. Each plays a very important and specific role in the work we do and without each part doing their bit we would not have the impact we have acheived. That is the result we are all working towards.

I have government officials and prospective donors tell me they dont believe the impact we have is possible. Then when they come and visit, they get it. They speak to our kids who are confident and self assured and they see the possibilities. I actually had some one come all the way from Sweden to call me out on my statistics, then she had to apologize. We are doing what other people struggle to do, we are acheiving.

I love what Nelson Mandela says "It always seems impossible until someone does it!" Keep The Dream196 is acheiving wonderful impact. We are changing the face of the youth in our area. We are truly making a difference.

 The marathon camp has started, we have lots of happy and excited young people running around learning to work together. Xenophobia problems are not new to South Africa, however at our camps we socialise Sesotho, Xitsonga and Siswati people groups together. They learn to co-operate and support each other and have fun in the process. Just a simple activity of living together in a tent for a week changes perspectives, these children become life long friends, racial barriers are removed.

Please go to our facebook page to be introduced to the kids and the program. Please just remember I am not a professional photographer or interviewer! ;-)

It is so exciting.

 Once again THANK YOU, none of this is possible without your support.

Blessings

Louise

Links:

• Our Facebook Page for daily updates of activities