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