Education South Africa Project #15130

Lifeskills for 8 children in South Africa - Pilot

A microproject by Keep The Dream196

Lifeskills for 8 children in South Africa - Pilot

Project Report | Dec 17, 2025
Christmas Message 2025

By Louise | Managing Director

The Dream Team!

Avuxeni, minjani? Umfekile minjane!

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s a moment to pause, reflect, and appreciate the journey we’ve shared this year.

This has been a year of resilience, innovation, and connection. We’ve navigated challenges with courage, embraced opportunities with creativity, and celebrated milestones—both big and small—that have shaped our path forward.

In a world that continues to evolve rapidly, one thing has remained constant: the strength of our community and the value of working together. Whether it was through new ideas, acts of kindness, or moments of collaboration, each contribution has made a difference.

As 2025 draws to a close, we stand at the edge of a new chapter — one shaped by the lessons, challenges, and triumphs of this year. Every step we’ve taken, whether steady or stumbling, has carried us forward.

May the future remember 2025 not just for what happened, but for how we grew — for the kindness we chose, the courage we found, and the hope we refused to let go of. As we step into 2026, let’s carry forward the lessons we’ve learned—to adapt with grace, dream boldly, and support one another wholeheartedly. The year ahead holds endless possibilities, and together, we can make it extraordinary.

Here’s to stepping into tomorrow with lighter hearts, wiser minds, and dreams that dare to reach further than ever before. The best is not behind us — it’s waiting just ahead.

Wishing you a joyful Christmas season, a well-deserved rest, and a bright, fulfilling new year ahead.

God’s abundant blessings upon you and your family

Louise

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Dec 10, 2025
December Round Up!

By Louise | Managing Director

Self Help Group Meeting

Thank you so much for all of your support this year. We have had a year of reclaiming. Last year, through the many changes we experienced including the loss of Mum Rose, we had lost quite a few children from the children’s groups. This year I am pleased to be able to report we have grown the children’s program and now have almost 1,500 children participating weekly in the program. That is an increase of 58% on last years numbers, not just that, after completing the Star Assessments it seems that many of the groups are quite proficient and have managed to score bronze, silver and gold awards. This is an indication of their growth and development.

We also have reached our targets for the SHG program. Despite opening 10 CLA’s (Cluster Level Associations) and no longer needing to open 50 SHG’s (Self Help Groups), we achieved both. That brings us to a total of 130 SHG’s. This is setting us up for 2026 and opening the first Federation (which is about me and my District/Province). This is very exciting for us and for the ladies.

The team as you can imagine are having a well-earned rest in preparation for 2026.

Thank you for being a part of our success. Your support means the world to us. We were able to raise just over $2,000USD during #GivingTuesday campaign, so thank you. That goes a long way towards ensuring our sustainability. Also because of the work we do, the impact we are having, GlobalGiving has identified us as their Project Of The Month, which is a huge honour. Out of 11,000 organizations on GlobalGiving, we were chosen.

Once again, I just want to thank you for your support, your prayers, your interaction with me throughout the year. The belief you have in the work we do is awesome and inspires us to continue to bring huge changes to the individuals and communities we serve.

Blessings to you and your family

Louise

Changes to the lived experiences of those in the SHG, these are excerpts from the report regarding the impact of SHG and the knock on effect for the beneficiaries.

Children:

The third quarter of the school year is when schools typically organize their excursions. While auditing the SHG (Self-Help Group) minute books for our report, we observed that the majority of loans taken out between August and September 2025 were used to fund school trips or to purchase snacks for children participating in these excursions. This initiative has positively impacted children, especially those with female relatives involved in the program. As a result, children have had the opportunity to participate in school activities with dignity and respect.

Individual members/families:

One of the members of the 2026 group expressed how happy she was to be part of this program. She showed one of the Community Facilitators (CFs) a copy of her funeral cover. She explained that for a long time, she had been living by God’s grace, praying and hoping that nothing would happen to her or her children, as her funeral policy had lapsed due to non-payment. Since joining the SHG, she visited the Wisani Burial Society and reinstated her policy. She mentioned that she would take out loans to cover the costs of the funeral cover. Now that the waiting period is over, she can live in peace.

Community

Tswelopele CLA has been working hard to make sure that their communities are a better and a place they can be proud of. One bore has been fixed and the community has water. This has been a proud moment for the women because in their action plan all they wanted was to enquire why the borehole wasn’t working. Keep The Dream 196 has also received positive feedback from the Induna that the women are encouraging him to ensure that there is service delivery in the community and he appreciates the support.

You have brought such joy!

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Nov 26, 2025
KTD196 selected as PROJECT OF THE MONTH by GG

By Louise | Managing Director

WOW WOW WOW!

What a wonderful end of year celebration we had at Burgersdorp with our final Colour Run for the year.. We had over 300 kids taking part in the fun. It was magnificent seeing their smiling faces, seeing the colour explode from their hands, seeing the joy and sheer delight of the day all over their faces.

From their faces you cannot tell who is an orphan although 1:4 is.
From their faces you cannot tell who is impoverished although 1:2 is
From their faces you cannot tell who is vulnerable or marginalised although all are according to government policy.

That’s what I love about this work, we move past the restraints for kids, we work with adults to address the above issues, but for the kids, it is a taste of heaven.

You have made this possible, your support, you belief in us has enabled us to continue to achieve what many people do not believe is possible. We are changing trajectories for these children, we are changing life outcomes and destinies because of you.

It might just seem like a “Fun” activity but we have many young leaders supervising the day, providing extra activities as part of the fun, like the dance offs after the village walk through. Because of your support we were able to give the kids a wonderful meal, which required my staff to be up at 0400, at the venue to start cooking at 0500 to be ready by 10am to serve.

Thank you for the support you have given us, you make this all possible. To that end, we have been selected by GlobalGiving as Project of the Month for December because of the impact we are having. Just to refresh your memory

14 Girls have become pregnant since 2003 instead of 13% annual of our total girls. Sadly, two friends this year from one of our partners, peer pressure is a terrible thing if not utilised properly.
93% matriculation pass rate where governments is 65% over the same period
12.9% Suicide rate nationally amongst children, ours is ZERO
70% of children, by the time they are 15yrs of age, have committed their first jailable offense, one of our children in over 31,000 has committed a crime and he was deemed incompetent to stand trial.

Because of this impact of our work was selected from a pool of more than 11,000 nonprofit projects in over 170+ countries. Nearly 5,000 donors come together and make monthly donations to keep the Project of the Month going.

This extra support means the world to us—and to Greater Tzaneen Children. Over the course of the next year, we’ll use these additional funds to strengthen our projects and build on the fabulous work we have already achieved. We still need your ongoing support to continue this work, the need is great, the challenge is overwhelming at times but make no mistake we are making an amazing difference,

God Bless you

Louise

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