Educate a South African Child Experiencing Poverty

During a visit last month to Christel House South Africa, our Christel House CFO had a conversation with a circle of kindergarteners.  One of the students told a story about how his brother had recently been “shot in the butt.” Although the circle of children chuckled raucously at the placement of the shot, the reality of this situation was not at all humorous. After the first child shared his story, each student in the circle followed by detailing how they had also seen or experienced a shooting firsthand. At the age of five or six, these children had lived through a tragic life experience most of us could hardly fathom.  This shared story was commonplace for these kids.

While many of us this holiday season, will worry about what we are going to make for Christmas dinner, buy for that certain someone, or wear to our company party, many Christel House children will continue to worry about whether there will be anything to eat for dinner, if they will sleep on the lumpy mat or the dirt floor, or whether anyone in the family will have too much to drink and come home to beat them.

No child should be in constant concern over his or her safety or basic needs. They should be concerned with learning how to read, write, give and share.

Our mission at Christel House is to help these kids, families, and future generations escape poverty… forever.

 We can’t do this without your help.  This month, Global Giving has introduced a matching program for all Recurring Gifts. This means that if you make a pledge in December to give a small monthly donation to Christel House, Global Giving will match this amount in December, doubling your contribution and impact at this important time of the year.

Would you consider making a year-end gift or a year-long pledge this giving season? Any amount, big or small, can make a tremendous difference.

Give. Transform a life.

Links:

• Christel House Website
• Christel House Facebook

Like many of our students, Kristen’s early childhood education was interrupted by deprivation and family obligations. Even at a young age, she was burdened with looking after her younger siblings and trying to help her family survive. 

When she began attending Christel House, Kristen struggled with scars of anger and frustration from her childhood. For her, Christel House quickly became a place of hope and healing.

 “The teachers and other kids were very kind, like family,” Kristen reflects.  “At this school, I learned how to deal with what I had been feeling.”

While attending Christel House, Kristen was introduced to fencing. She used the sport as a method to channel her frustration and overcome her past. She flourished and competed nationally and internationally.

After graduating from Christel House in 2010, she began a Bachelor’s degree in Sports, Recreation and Exercise Science at the University of the Western Cape.  She put her studies on hold temporarily to participate in a professional coaching course in Dakar, Senegal.  She is now a “Master Coach in Arms” and one of only four fencing coaches in South Africa.  She is also certified by the Fencing Federation to coach anywhere in the world. 

“My aim is to develop sport, specifically fencing, in my own country,” Kristen says proudly.  “I’m going to share what I’ve learned and make a real difference.”

Links:

• Christel House Website
• Christel House Blog
• Christel House Facebook