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 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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Nov 19, 2025
The change we can bring with your Gift!

By Louise | Managing Director

Mabunda and Family

WOW WOW WOW, I am amazed………………the staff have really excelled this year. We are at the end of the year and we are gathering our statistics and stories of success to share with you our supporters as well as with our other donors not on GlobalGiving.

It is thrilling to see how hard everyone has worked but not just that, the increased impact and the importance of the work we are doing and how much it is being appreciated by all the beneficiaries. You are directly responsible for our success; you enable us to do this work. I say that frequently, but I really don’t think you know how instrumental you are to our survival as an organization.

As more and more organizations are fighting for the meagre money, which is available through international donors, it is becoming increasingly difficult to cover costs. That is where your support is so important. You have become the difference between us continuing or closing our doors. You will be receiving #GivingTuesday requests from me personally; we desperately need your ongoing support. I will leave it at that.

I want to just tell you about the Kids Program. Previously I stated we were going to start Meerkats, the program aimed at 5-7yrs. We have 5 Meerkat Dens with 49 children, the Dens are smaller than the packs or troops because they require more support when doing activities.

Regarding Cubs, the 7-11yr olds, with their own individual program we have 32 packs with 794 children involved. They too have their own individual program with their own tailor made advancements and badges to be earned. It is important to establish a pipeline for Scouts but also, get a child while they are young and train them in the way they should go, and they will not forget the values and morals we have impressed upon them. I was a Brownie (Girl Guide equivalent in Australia), I still remember the things I was taught and it shaped me as an adult today.

Now, with Scouts who are the 11-18yrs olds 31 troops with 608 children involved. Again they have their own individual program tailored to their specific age group and requirements. We deviate particularly with Scouts South Africa here because we focus particularly on Children’s Rights and Child Participation. We introduce other training to assist the children to navigate the challenges associated with growing up in poverty, under resourced and under structured villages, with high crime rates, high pregnancy, drug abuse and truancy rates.

The we have the Rovers, the older kids who want to continue but with their own program catering to adult learning, these kids (to me they will always be kids) they are 18-30yrs old. We have 3 crews and 43 Rovers.

We have had a 36% growth this year in the Children’s Program alone, all because of you! All because of your support! You made this possible. Last week I spoke about the change in Ronny, this is the sort of transformation we can bring. This program is so special and loved by all of the children and their parents. It is truly exciting to be able to see the change happening before our eyes. Thank you so much for your financial support. You are making such a huge difference to the lives of the children, to their families and to the nation of South Africa. We are changing this nation one child at a time. I have included a mum’s story below of the change she has witnessed in her children.

God Bless you!

Louise

My children have changed since attending the weekly children’s groups, at home and at school they have improved their behaviour, they are no longer rude or naughty, they do their chores, they do their homework, I don’t have to nag them anymore.

I had one child who was doing badly at school, and I thought he was just very naughty, I used to shout at him a lot and never gave him any attention. Since I have been taught about Children’s Rights by my children and by KTD196, I realised I was not supporting him but abusing him.

I started to support him and show interest in him, his behaviour at school has changed including his performance for this last term. Scouts is giving him the discipline he needs but also it helps me to understand my children and how to do right for them. I wish I could have attended scouts when I was younger, they are learning so many interesting things and becoming such helpful children, not just in our home but in our community as well. Keep The Dream196 is doing a very good job. Mabunda

Our kids are FLYING!

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