By Louise | Managing Director
I am writing to you today with a heavy heart, but a sharpened resolve.
At KTD196, we are fuelled by the immediate impact we see in the lives of the children we serve. We watch them seize their futures, shifting from passive observers to active authors of their own stories. It is exhilarating work that keeps us focused and inspired.
The Power of Your Impact
Our results speak for themselves. For the sixth consecutive year, we achieved a 100% Matriculation pass rate. Compare that to the government average of 66%—a figure achieved despite a 30% pass threshold. Most of our students earned Bachelor degree passes, opening the doors to university and a life beyond poverty.
However, the reality of the communities we serve is stark. When the safety net of our program is stretched, the consequences are devastating:
* Lost Potential: Recently, two young girls from one of our partner groups became pregnant. We grieve for their hijacked destinies and the "prison of poverty" that often follows teenage parenthood.
* A Life Lost: Last week, for the first time in our 23-year history, we lost a student to suicide. She chose a permanent solution to a temporary—yet overwhelming—burden.
Our hearts ache for these families. We will never know the full impact these three girls might have had on the world.
Why Your Support is Vital.
Statistically, South Africa faces a crisis; for every successful suicide, there are 20 non-lethal attempts. According to national averages, we should be seeing a suicide rate of roughly 12.9% among youth. Because of our program, this was our first loss in over two decades. While one loss is one too many, it proves that our intervention works. We recently intercepted another attempt in January, providing the immediate "cry for help" support that only an organization like ours can offer.
What we do is quite literally a matter of life and death. Without your ongoing support, more children will be lost to the flow of peer pressure, poverty, and despair. With you, we bring more than just education—we bring the hope that keeps them alive.
Thank you for standing with us in the gap.
With gratitude and resolve,
Louise
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By Louise | Managing Director
By Louise | Managing Director
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