Lifeskills 2,743 vulnerable children South Africa

Greetings all and Happy New Year to you and your families.

Well, it seems as though the drought may finally be at an end in this province. Not since the floods of 2000 with the well-known lady who gave birth to a baby in a tree have we had such rain. As a predominantly citrus growing area it has been devastating to watch crops and animals die of hunger and thirst. Now we see fresh growth everywhere. We are also seeing households with small crops of Miele’s springing up everywhere. In one night we had 200ml of rain, an extraordinary amount by anyone’s standards.

With the rain comes a cleansing, bushes and houses are washed and appear clean and bright, the dust is well and truly set into mud holes which at present are still a novelty and not an encumbrance, yet! Also new grass, fresh life is springing up all over. People look and feel refreshed and renewed for the coming year.

 Its only the beginning of February however we have been busy putting new plans in place and finalising 2016. For example: we had 15 matriculants and only 1 failed (she had been sick for most of 2016 so she is returning to complete her matriculation in 2017). We had 5 matriculants acheive Bachelor entry to university and 6 acheive Diploma's to commence their tertiary education. The statistics for Limpopo province were 62% pass rate, with most acheiving high school certificates. Our Scouts are doing far better than the other learners that are not in our program.

Also we have acheived Nationally Accredited Gold Certificates for our Cubs and Scouts groups, with the new program we are implementing we are finally able to succeed in such an encouraging manner. The children are hyped up and encouraged for the new year; the possibilities they see; the dreams they have and hope to acheive.

Your support has meant they have acheived. Without your support the children would just settle and fall in to what others are doing, become victims of limited possibilities and peer pressure. So thank you on their behalf. God bless you.

Thank you

Louise

PS I know I alluded to a huge change coming to Keep The Dream196 in the last report, that change is literally days away however I want to wait until all our ducks are in row before sharing the good news, so stay tuned!

My name is Nomtando,

I have been with Keep The Dream196 as a scout for 4 years. I joined when I was 12 and am now in year 10 and I am 16yrs of age. I love scouts, I love learning and doing, I love being able to be useful and living by the scout laws. I believe I have a future and can become what I have dreamed. I want to be a teacher and help other children believe in themselves the way Keep The Dream196 has helped me believe in me.

I was asked if my friends joined scots with me, some did and some didnt. My best friend didnt and its so sad, she is a mom now well when she was 15, she dropped out of school and now just hangs around the taverns during the day. I look at her and think, wow that could have been me if I had listened to her. If I had decided not join scouts I would be with my best friend. Instead I am doing well in school, I dont have any boyfriend and I am focussed on my school work.

Keep The Dream196 saves our lives. HIV is very high in my area, because as a scout we are not sexually active we are kept safe. We know about condoms and ABC (Abstinance, Be Faithful, Condomise) but we have decided to Abstain and be Faithful to ourselves and our dreams first.

Thank you Keep the Dream196 you have saved my future.

Links:

• Our Website
• YouTube video of KTD196 in action