By Louise Batty | Managing Director
Well, we survived! Almost!!!
The kids have all returned home safely and well and so have we although its tough getting out of bed to do all the necessary tidying, washing, packing, repacking, storing etc etc which is inevitable with camping.
The kids had an absolute ball, thank you to everyone for your support and interest in the proceedings. For those who are not aware I have posted interviews with the kids as well as some of the fun on our facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/keepthedream196/
Go and have a look at the antics, despite the weather it was an problem free camp which was enjoyed by all. Please like our page and rate us while your at it, this will help our visibility.
The kids have learnt a myriad of skills from the basic scouts knots through to project planning and management. Its so exciting to see their excitement.
When I am so focussed on camp I often forget some of the circumstances these kids come from. They just look like regular kids, without any problems or without any stress, just kids having fun. Then, when I sit and I ask them to talk to me so I can write their stories it is literally quite overwhelming some of the pain these kids have grown up with. Loosing parents, loosing other important family members, the pain of being hungry in this day age is obscene in a land that has so much.
I want to share Prince's story, he has been with us a long time, he has had more than a few struggles which he didnt want to share, these are some of the stories he was willing to share. I pray he touches your heart the way he touches mine. Some times it is not easy walking a road with some of these kids because of the pain they have suffered and the anger they exhibit but I wouldnt want to be anywhere else.
Thank you for your willingness to support us/me to do this work
Louise
Prince is who I am, but the thing is who I am and what kind of a person I am? Well, all I can say is that I am not as I used to be, my life has changed I won’t say that I am a good person or a bad person. I am 27yrs of age from Ramotshinyadi village. I grew up living with my aunt because my mum passed away when I was 13ys in 2004.
Living with my aunt was not that cool. It was challenging since mum had 4children, aunty had 4 children so aunty was now a single parent of 8 children. It meant that a lot of things were not easy or available; we had to sacrifice a lot. Aunty only had a salary that barely covered food costs. I only got one t-shirt per year or one pair of shoes for a year. Some time I didn’t feel loved, but aunty had 8 of us to care for.
In 2005 I started scouts when I was 14yrs, before I was a scout, I didn’t like sharing, I wanted my own way all the time, I was rude. I didn’t need friends, I was alone. If something was wrong I had to try and fix all my problems but I couldn’t so I just waited for a bigger problem to come along to focus on.
But what I know is that I have realised and understand that we are not the same colour, gender and even in culture. I finally understood what a free will is. When I it comes to giving what you have, to those who don't have it was not simple because I couldn’t share I only had one thing. Now I understand that you can’t live alone and that giving and sharing helps us to get to the end point, you need help from others.
I understand that the thoughts and views will also not be the same at all the times and I now know the meaning of the saying that says “Mistakes are for people to do”! When we encounter a challenge everyone has their own thoughts and views, I understand I have to relax and first listen to what people are saying, discuss the situation and how we will handle the situation. It’s much better to respect other people’s thoughts so that they will respect yours.
Even saying sorry, the value of sorry is beyond my understanding, saying sorry doesn’t mean you are a fool but you understand the fact that you made a mistake and you ready to learn from it and move on. Anyway it’s a mistake if you fall from it but it’s a lesson if you learn from it.
I have also learned that no one should face challenges alone because someone is always there to help. Just reach out and you will see.
This is what who and how I am and its all because of Keep The Dream196 before KTD196 I was exactly the opposite of everything I said.
I lost my parents, shouted at my friends and even lost the. But Scouts gave me new parents, Rosemary, Catherine, Angy, Constance, Elizabeth and Louise. It also gave new friends at this I now consider them as brothers and sisters. Kheto, Remember, Sevvy, Nkululeko, Sunnyboy and others, the list is so long I cant remember them all.
Once I became a scout I started to experience changes.
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