Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers

by Keep The Dream196
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Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers
Empowering Girls and Women as Mothers

Project Report | Jul 9, 2025
Inititation Schools and KTD196

By Louise | Managing Director

The Future!
The Future!

We are having a fantastic time at camp with the kids, through your support. So much of what we do, is because of you. Camp is a cherished time for the kids, they get to be kids, they get to leave the pressures of village life, the crime, the drugs, the routines etc and come to camp. Most have never been away from home, or slept in a tent, or been on hikes in the bush.

Our camps are designed to ensure the kids progress through the advancement program and earn those badges which are difficult to earn in the villages due to lack of information and resources. The kids are immersed in a different way of life, team work, planning, and skills development such as first aid, map reading, hiking, compass work, environment appreciation, animal and bird appreciation. It is just glorious.

While our kids are having a ball, literally as games are part of the camp, as are other specific trainings such as BOYS2MEN and SEX and SEXUALITY, Spider training (a monitoring and evaluation process for the work we do), sadly, many boys are going to winter school or initiation school and dying.

Every year, during the winter school holidays, initiation schools take young boys, with hope of being men at the end, to the bush, they circumcise them (usually unhygienically), beat them, starve them, and refused to give them water (because then the boys have to pee, which causes more pain!). Sadly every year this practice causes many deaths of young boys. It is a cultural custom, however despite policies and laws being in place to prevent the abuse of boys, the custom continues from unscrupulous men wanting to earn a quick buck.

Some boys volunteer to go to initiation, some boys are taken by their parents, some boys are just stolen from the streets and then their parents are extorted to pay thousands of rands to get the home again.

In our area, the Xitsonga Chief years ago forbade Initiation Schools. This year, Queen Modjadji (a new young Queen), also forbade the practice however that still has not stopped 6young boys from being badly burnt during a fire at a school in one of our villages, I use that term loosely because “a school” is just a clearing in the bush, not infrastructure.

Every year children die at these schools. Many deaths are not reported or recorded properly, once article says that over 900boys have died in the Eastern Cape alone since 2006. Over 530 schools have been officially approved of. With each school taking a minimum of 20boys, that is a huge number of children at risk.

At the end of the school the boys are considered men, even if they go to these schools at the age of 6yrs. They are taught that they are now the boss, and everyone has to listen to them and do as they are told. They can now drink alcohol, smoke dope, have sex with whom ever, wherever, and be immune to repercussions of rape accusations culturally.

On the other hand, we at camp, train the boys on what a real man is, how he behaves, how is protective, supportive and encouraging as father, son, brother or uncle. How to lead, guide and provide for his family and ensure their success as a family unit. So different to the alternatives.

This is why KTD196 is so important. We are building not just for today but also for the tomorrow, with future families in mind. You are doing this through your support. You are providing alternatives for the children, new ways to view traditional roles. It is essential. It is life saving.

I hope you realise the importance of the work we do, the impact we have and role you play.

Blessings

Louise

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Organization Information

Keep The Dream196

Location: Tzaneen, Limpopo - South Africa
Website:
Facebook: Facebook Page
Project Leader:
Louise Batty
Tzaneen , Limpopo South Africa
$35,720 raised of $150,000 goal
 
417 donations
$114,280 to go
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