By Tia Kelly | Project leader
Once in a while isn't it nice to know that you’re actually creating an impact in people’s lives! That you are appreciated for your contribution and that the things you care about are really being positively effected!?
I think it's important! So I'm here to share with you beautiful story that will hopefully light up your heart, because you made it possible!
I'd like to introduce you to Thuli. We met her last year when we were working with young women survivors of sexual violence in South Africa.
Thuli has a gentle, fun energy that children love to be around. They seek her out, probably to experience that beautiful loving smile shining on them. Unfortunately Thuli herself experienced an extremely challenging and traumatic childhood, but thankfully this is one of those beautiful “from there to here” stories.
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Thuli entered our tiny mobile outbuilding, which sat in the township’s muddy police station yard. She ducked through the low doorway and entered inside, along with 17 other young women, most of whom would be staying to working in our Elements of SUCCESS leadership program for the next week. Their faces showed trepidation, not knowing exactly what would unfold or who we were, or why we had come all this way to meet them!
As we worked together it became apparent that Thuli was a natural leader in her gentle way. Despite how shy she was and how hard the work was, Thuli’s desire to learn and participate shone through. She was never late, she showed up every day, rain or shine. She was also brave enough to share her harrowing personal story for our documentary.
Life is extremely hard living in the townships of Western Cape. When you combing being a girl, living in an area with some of the statistically highest sexual violence rates in the country and living in stark poverty, just walking to the public toilet area becomes a huge risk. Can you imagine being terrified to go to the bathroom? knowing that someone would be waiting there for you and no one would come to help you.
We stay in touch with Thuli and continue to offer support and encouragement. She took what she learned from our course and then she shared it with the little girls in her dance class, she applied and was excepted to go to school for early childhood development, she has started a small and very successful printing business, and has been doing spoken word performances, writing poetry to express herself and heal. And she is doing citizen journalism in her community. Telling the stories of brave women just like her! The ripple effect is so huge when you empower young women to find their inner leader!
This all happened in less than a year! and she has tearfully told me that it all started in that little mobile outbuilding, with someone there who cared about her and believed in her and gave her the tools and support she needed to create a better life for herself and to impact her community!
And that someone who cared was you!
Thank you! From South Africa, Mexico, Vietnam, Lebanon India and beyond. Where young women are becoming leaders in their own lives and creating positive change with your help!
Thank you!
Tia
By Tia Kelly | Project leader, GS co-founder
By Tia Kelly | Project leader, GS co-founder
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