Lifeskills 2,743 vulnerable children South Africa

Welcome everyone to feedback from Keep The Dream196, I trust you are enjoying these reports and are being inspired by the work we are achieving together. Welcome especially to our new members of the KTD196 Community of Supporters, I trust you will enjoy these reports, if you have any questions please just drop me a line on keepthedream196@gmail.com

While this work is demanding and tiring, I know that we are making a huge difference. It’s like a stone thrown into a pond, the ripple effect the work we are doing is travelling throughout the communities. For example, we had done work in the past throughout the province regarding sustainable permaculture food gardens, 66% of the people (particularly women and children) live below the poverty line and in extreme poverty. Growth stunting of children has reached 40% nationally. Stunting means they are not getting the quality food intake to grow developmentally. This means that in 20yrs time these children will have probably failed at school, failed at accessing meaningful employment, failed at relationships, have a high incidence of aggression and violence towards people and probably end up in high risk relationships, jail or deceased. All because of the lack of food security and nourishment.

At KTD196 we are teaching children how to grow organic vegetables and fruit which are GMO free, with natural fertilizers and how to harvest, cook and prepare these foods to maximise nourishment. We are also working with their parents to create a culture of whole foods, food security and nourishing staples. Parents and children are talking to their peers outside of the program. They are educating their peers. It feels good that we can not only give them “a fish” but also teach them “how to fish” so that they can continue to feed themselves and their familes. The truth is, if we do not…there is no one else here to help them.

If we help one child to eat better, they then perform well at school and are able to pay attention to learn. They are receiving the nourishment their growing bodies require to develop cognitively, intellectually, emotionally and physically. KTD196 with your support is changing lives. Families overall health is improving. Chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes are improving with whole foods. This is what we are achieving together. In reality, we are helping over 2,500 families throughout the Province to eat better.

A price cannot be put on health. Your support enables us to make such a difference in people’s lives but particularly in children's lives. Thank you so much for your love, care and support. You really are making a difference in our lives. You really are having long lasting impact into children's lives. You really are saving them from a lifetime of difficultly.

Your co-worker

Louise

After attending Journey of Life training the parents of the children are asked to form Parent Committee’s to support their child's participation in cub packs and scout troops. These committees have evolved to become self help groups through the support of the Field Officers and Project Manager. Keep The Dream196 have implemented a Food Security Project aimed at small garden vegetable production. The Parent Committees (17 in total approximately 232 parents) have also agreed to developing larger community based gardens.

KTD196 have trained parents on vegetable garden development; natural fertilizers such as composting, manure teas, pest control, cash book skills, marketing skills and working together as teams to maximize the returns for each parent. Through this project parents who have limited resources are able to use those resources to purchase other things rather than vegetables. This process assists in making the Children’s Life skills project more sustainable as parents can contribute towards some costs for their children.

However the biggest impact is in reducing stunting in children in Limpopo!

"I am so happy, I now know how to feed my children properly and make sure they grow up big and strong. Not just that but I earn money selling my vegetables to my neighbours so they are feeding the children good healthy food. I grew up hungry, I dont want that for my kids. Keep The Dream has helped me stop that from happening. THANK YOU KEEP THE DREAM196." - Margaret from Thalane.

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Welcome to all our new supporters to the KTD196 Community of Supporters! Thank you for choosing us as your sponsored program, I trust you will enjoy the updates that I send out and that you will be even more encouraged to support KTD196.

Firstly, congratulations to those of you who supported KTD196 through Project Appeal I sent out to specific people. We were able to raise $4,000US plus a bonus $2,000US which is a wonderful achievement. Thank you so much to those who supported us.

Secondly, we together, have reached a real milestone. In 7yrs, since joining Global Giving, we have now touched 1,000 different people's lives with our program. 1,000 people have engaged with KTD196 and decided to support the work we are doing. Thank you so much. This is so awesome, I am touched and excited about the future because of your support, encouragement and ongoing interest.

It is only through your support we can achieve the outstanding success that we are having. I love seeing the smiles on the faces of the children we serve when we arrive. I love seeing their dedication and commitment despite their difficult backgrounds. Coming to the program gives them the respite desperately needed from often serious home situations such as: caring for a sick or dying parent; caring for younger brother and sisters and abuse at home for example.

KTD196, is a light in their often dark week, whereby they get to be children and forget what they have to contend with at home and to have fun, be children and work together as teams making their communities just that little bit brighter.

Last week I went to Fobeni Village and was met by 14kids who formed part of the executive committee for this group. I was there with our International Donor Kindernothilfe, following up on Journey of Life Training we do with their parents. When I asked how many of the children's parents had attended this training 4 put up their hands. When asked what changes they had seen at home all 4 children stated their parents were no longer shouting at them, hitting them, calling them names or swearing at them. Their parents were talking to them in a positive manner, asking about their day at school or their sleep overnight, something these kids had never experienced.

What made me so sad was I then asked the remaining 10children how many of their parents hit them, 4 responded positively. How many of their parents swore at them and called them names, 9 responded positively. How many parents shouted at them, all but one child put up his hand.

The work we are doing together is changing lives, families and communities but there is still so much work to be done. To run a Journey of Life Training costs $496US. For this sum we will change 20 families and impact generations to come. Breaking the cycle of abuse is very difficult however because of our program, we are achieving this for the now generation and the generations to come.

You are enabling this to happen. Your support is creating loving environments for children to be nurtured and cared for and to pass these parenting skills on to the next generation.

Thank you so much to you all,

Louise

My name is Vusi and I am 15yrs old from Fobeni Village. I have been with Keep The Dream196 now for nearly 4years. I am so grateful for their support. I have changed so much from being a difficult child to my mother and to the community to being some one who people want to be around and want to be my friend.

In the beginning I was always in trouble, I was a theif, I was failing at school, my home life was not good. My father used to beat me, my mother would just scream at me all the time. When ever there was a problem I was always to blame, even if it wasnt me. I was always the one. So KTD196 helped me realise that I started being naughty because it didnt matter, I was always blamed any way.

They helped me see that if I change my behaviour other people would change towards me. I tried my best. By then my dad had left the home to go to JHB to work. My mum started to see the difference but still always called me names and blamed me. Then one day she went to training with Keep The Dream196. It was a Journey of Life training. That night she was different. That night I could see she was really trying to be nice to me.

Since then she has stopped swearing at me, calling me names, shouting at me. She even tells my dad off when he comes home and starts being cruel to me. It has made such a difference. I enjoy going home after school now. I dont stay out late a night getting in to trouble any more. The community are also suprised at the change. I am doing well in school now. I have a bright future because of KTD196.

I am now seen positively in the community. I work hard in Scouts. I work hard in school. I have a lot of work I have to make up but I will. I will succeed in life. Those things people said about me are not true! I know I am a good person. I know I will get some where in this life.

Thank you for supporting me Keep The Dream196. Thank you to everyone who supports KTD196.

Vusi

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