Lifeskills 2,743 vulnerable children South Africa

Dear partners and friends of Keep The Dream196,

I trust you are all well and keen to read the next missive from the coal face!!!

Mandela Day - I must be the only person in South Africa who despises Mandela Day! Dont get me wrong, I love the man and what he stood for but I hate what has happened to volunteerism and the idea that volunteering for 67minutes once a year is enough makes me want to throw up!

Volunteering is a heart issue, its having the internal desire to make the world a little bit better by giving of your time, energy, resources to make things a little easier for someone else. What it has become in this country, for a majority of officials, is a photo opportunity. A chance to put on special protective clothing to look like they are going to do a hard days work when in fact they pick up a paint brush for 10seconds for the photographer and then run away after eating a special meal. All of this so that they can "I Contributed" to Mandela day. The other 364 days of the year, they do nothing. The money spent for them to have their photo taken and put in the local newspaper could have been spent on bringing about real change.

I am so frustrated by these token events. Thats why I love what I do. The first 4years I worked on this program as a volunteer and loved it. Then we had to convert to a registered Non Profit Organization and volunteering had to take a back foot. But I still volunteer. As do the kids we serve, every day, every month they make a real difference, helping to build society by acts of kindness from a heart of generosity. That is real voluteerism.

Ok now that I have finished my rant regarding Mandela Day. I just want to celebrate our volunteers. We have literally had 100's come through the program. Some have stayed for 15yrs others have stayed for quite a number of years and others just a few months. We have had international volunteers from the UK, Germany, America, Australia but also from Free State, KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng. We also have had 100's of people volunteer to make a difference in their communities with the children we serve. Its humbling to think in a society where everyone is chasing the money, that some still have their eye on the bigger prize, that of building social cohension and social partnerships.

Thank you to all our current volunteers, you are awesome. Thank you to those who have volunteered in the past. I started volunteering when I was 6yrs old. My dad and I would go around raising money for a famine in Biafra (I wont tell you what year!). I felt even at 6 I could make a difference for people I didnt know and that I was doing something to help others. That spirit has remained with me to this day. I encourage the beneficiaries of KTD196 children's program to do the same, and they do! Not because they have to but because they want to! God bless you all, we couldnt do this without you!

Because of you all of this is possible.

Thankyou

Louise

My name is Asanda I am 16yrs old and I come from Mhangweni village. Before joining KTD196 program that runs scouts. I used to be a very lonely person. I can tell I was the shyest of the all. I used to tell myself that my shyness was caused by the fact that I was the only kid at home, the fact that I was used to spending most of my time with no sister or brother. I found it very very hard to make friends. I didn’t like spending time with people and enjoyed my own company. I found it very hard to interact with other kids and honestly I was lonely. After joining KTD196 program I found sisters and brother most importantly I found true friends. People whom will forever have a special place in my heart for I know they are true friends. I now enjoy spending time with other people and enjoy their company. I totally lost the shyness I had before. I am no longer lonely for I have a family (Keep The Dream196). KTD196 did not only help me in making fiends but also helped me realise the kind of career I am so keep to pursue. The first aid lessons made me realise that I love, like enjoy and good in this stuff. That why I want to persue a career in medicine and be a “General Surgeon” or “Theatre Specialist”. KTD196 is the best.

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