Be Strong Be Wise South Africa

The team at Be Strong, Be Wise is watching the horizon with smiles on our faces, as our fleet of Flagship schools sets sail for the first time this year.

Each of our five Coordinators is under contract with local schools after months of hard work creating a trusting alliance with LO teachers and principals. In the weeks ahead, the facilitator teams will enter the classroom to deliver the Be Strong, Be Wise curriculum to hundreds of learners throughout Kwa-Zulu Natal and Pretoria. As word spreads about the benefits of the course, including praise from learners, other LO teachers in other schools continue to express interest, coming forward to say, "We want this course!"

As I write this report, I enter my second week in this beloved country after being away for nine months (which felt like twenty!). Already, the momentum is many times greater than it was last year and we still have weeks and weeks ahead. Last year's focus was on creating new connections, training new Coordinators and Facilitators, and forming a new non-profit under the umbrella of Ubuntu Partners Trust.

This year, our focus is on: supporting the Coordinators; enhancing the curriculum; visiting the classrooms to observe the facilitators; and conducting further trainings in order to increase our team. We have also identified February 20-22, 2026 as our Team Building weekend, when our Coordinators will have an opportunity to come together as a group for the first time. Since we have been meeting for monthly zoom calls throughout the year, we are already a "family", as one Coordinator pointed out, but how exciting it will be to finally spend time together face to face!

The Goals of the Team Building weekend include addressing the challenges seen in the classroom: What do you do when a learner discloses during a session? How do you respond to boys in class who declare that "sexual assault prevention is only for girls"? How do you ensure that learners are integrating the material? and How do we increase awareness in families and communities at large? All of these questions and more will be explored, as we also enjoy fun and fellowship together.

Recently, a new partnership emerged for BSBW-SA that promises to expand our reach, particularly in urban centers. Zoe-Life, a premier youth organization in Durban, has requested a Content Partnership with BSBW-SA. Zoe Life would receive access to our curriculum and trainings and we would receive access to their school connections and shared grant opportunities.

We are forever grateful to our donors who have supported our mission. Without them, our "ships" would wait in harbors, unable to respond to the need in each and every learner: to know how to create healthy, safe relationships; to communicate and respect boundaries; to give and receive kindness; and to recognize their inherent dignity. 

Links:

• https://www.bestrongbewise.com/south-africa

BSBW continues to receive requests from schools to bring in the course, and our Coordinators are meeting the need with ongoing team-building, planning and communication with Life Orientation teachers and principals.

Most everyone will be teaching in October, and we are eager to discover how things go each step of the way. The Coordinators have also been connecting with local municipalities and community leaders in order to get a buy-in for the course and expand our outreach. We have thus far reached over 500 youth who have participated in the course. In the month to come, another 300 learners will receive the course as our facilitators head back into the classroom again.

Some specific reports from each member of the team:

Jossy: Has been responding to several accounts of statutory rape in her community. We continue to be a prevention-oriented initiative, but will support the teams as they respond to these traumatic events, for there are lots of steps and modalities that may help survivors.

Jossy also shared that she believes that helping learners build integrity and honesty is going to be important. Agreed! Most of the journal prompts are devoted to this and to helping learners create a greater understanding of themselves, in order to be more honest with others.

Noxy: Is preparing to teach another huge class (110 learners that she will divide into three groups). Thembi and Noxy have been working closely together with the school to create a quality versus quantity approach to this round of teaching. Noxy has another school interested, but is waiting until January to explore that since she has her hands full.

Paneng: will be teaching his group of athletes and the Peer Ambassador group he has built in the local school. These are each full classes (approximately 30 learners each) and his hope is to run these courses as a Pilot, so that he can present the results to the school and hopefully gain a buy-in.

Thembi:  Her team is preparing to teach another grade at the Bonela School, and they already have other schools interested. Thembi will play an active role in working with the principal and trying to attain flagship status there. 

Wilna: Continues to use her skills to explore funding options for BSBW and is supporting Carolien with data collection and analysis, as well as her team of facilitators.

Amy: has been meeting with lots of groups in the US and networking with such orgs as the Southern Africa Network. She is connecting with anyone she can. Also, with Thembi’s help, we’ve been able to create a beautiful Social Media presence and new Landing Page! 

Links:

• Our new Landing page !