By Louise Batty | Managing Director
This is WHY the work that we do is important NOW!
Right NOW, locally (and nationally) we see young people who are "disenfranchised angry youth” – We see crime on the increase, we see violent clashes between communities and police, we see the push for land appropriation without compensation, we see corruption, apathy and indifference at the highest levels.
The work that we must do NOW will train the next generation to work together to achieve outcomes which are honest and fair for all. We work to empower the youth to make informed, wise decisions about their lives and their futures, too look past their current needs and to see the bigger picture of South Africa and how they can contribute.
The work that we must do NOW is preventing generations of suffering children and families condemned to making consistently poor devastating choices with extreme life choices.
Unless we step in NOW, we will be spending in excessive R133,000 per year to incarcerate one person in Correctional Services. Over 99% of prisoners in jail are HIV infected due to poor choices this adds a further tax burden on South Africans of R1,000 per year for ARVs alone never mind the extra illness's that go with being in confined spaces like Tuberculosis. To treat one Multi Drug Resistant TB patient costs in excess of R200,000 per year often for 5yrs.
The places we serve will continue to have poor education outcomes which in turn mean increased poverty for body, soul and spirit. With this cycle continuing there will be increased high risk behaviours such as unprotected sex leading to unwanted pregnancies, increased spread of HIV and Substance Abuse. With these issues come increased chronic illnesses; increased involvement in crime including organized crime, suicide and death. There will be a reduction of contributions to the Tax base if we fail to act NOW for the sake of the leaders of the future.
As South Africans we have knowledge of these issues NOW! This is not just a South African issue, many African nations and infact 3rd World Nations have similar problems however KTD196 has the solution.
Make no mistake; these children are the leaders of the future however it is up to us NOW as to where they are going to lead us. Spiralling down in greater chaos, anarchy and destruction or spiralling upwards to greater destiny as a nation, and healing of the many social woes.
The opportunity for change is NOW! This is why we will never QUIT! Quitting is not an option!
Below is a testimony I have used before however I asked Hlulani to update the information so you can see the impact.
My name is Hlulani,
I grew up in a dysfunctional environment where life was shaped by the behaviour of the community, and some may call it peer-pressure. I was born in 1994/11/06 in a family whereby my father was the only bread winner, this had an impact on my growth. As I grew up I had to go to school with people who had enough at their homes. I watched them tease me because I never even had pocket money. I went to school not enjoying because I was forced. When I reached grade 5 I went to initiation school and this was a turning point for me. My life became a mess, I became something I don’t even believe I was now. When I went to grade 6, both my parent had to go and work at Johannesburg to supplement the needs of the family. They left me at home with my neighbour to look after me, I then dropped out of school.
I unleashed my so called “pseudo manhood”, I thought I had it all under control and knew what I was doing. Pity I had no idea I was only fantasising which fantasies would never have had flourished, I became naughty. I got involved with crime, drugs and sex. I did not listen to people who tried advising or putting some sense into me because I thought I was a man. I repeated grade 6 where I was always fighting and when interrogated about the fights I had no sugar-way of talking to adults I was always rude.
When I went to grade 7 I met people who were almost thinking the same way I did, we influenced each other, wherein a class a teacher could only reach the two-front row. We enjoyed that because that’s what we wanted, we did not want to be in the spotlight with teachers. By this time I was also involved with an organisation called Sizanani which worked together with Keep the Dream 196. Keep the Dream196 focused on changing the lives of teenager to the right path using the scout laws, motto, and promise which also enshrine in them words from the bible. They enforced behaviour change but a lot of us did not take them serious because we thought we were man and to old to be playing games.
June 2009, Sizanani selected a few learners to attend a scout camp at westfalia, I was one of them with my other two friends. When we arrived at the camp we continually thought it was just for fun and did not take it serious. We continued to play at the camp and they noticed us, they separated us and created competitions. Those competitions ensured that we brought our A-game, we all wanted to win and it came to my attention that it was not about competitions but to ensure that we conform to the group, we respect other members, learn to share and to work with others.
My eyes opened, I saw a future in the scouts, I learnt to live by the laws, motto and scout promise. It impacted my life in a positive way, because they enforced that scouts are not failures, instead they smile and whistle under all difficulties and persist to achieve. I took advantage of Keep the Dream196’s vision and mission and it worked for me, I started advancing on my English, communication, writing and academics. From that point I never failed a grade with guidance provided to me by Keep the dream 196.
Keep the Dream196 monitored my progress, they realised that education provided at schools was never enough for one’s life, it needs supplements from other skills thus, they offered me some skills like teaching or training. Keep the Dream196 restored my life, they continually empowered me in a way that I said to myself that failure will never be an option. Through the leadership position I occupied my focus shifted from fake ideologies I had, to school and scouts only. It shaped what I wanted to be, I decided I wanted to be a teacher or a social worker which had to do with changing teenagers minds.
Currently I have enrolled at Wits University as a third-year social work student because of Keep the Dream196. I have been surprised at how much KTD196 has helped me through my studies. Everything I learnt as a Scout I am being taught now the theory. They were very clever how they implemented the program. It is all very good social work theory. I didnt know how it all fit together. Now I see. I am excelling in my studies because I have had practical exposure to the work before. I can also do the practical work easily because KTD196 has taught me well.
I am well motivated and I still live by the scout laws, promise and motto, distance may take away my duties as a scout but I will always be part of Keep the Dream196’s program.
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