Mentoring African Teens to School and Life Success

Challenge

25 years post-apartheid, most black South African teens grow up amid pervasive constant toxic stress created by overwhelming violence and poverty. Warehoused in substandard schools, approx. half of students drop-out before 12th grade and half of those that finish do not qualify for college/university - dooming them to an unpredictable life of crushing menial labor. Without successful role models, they are unable to break this cycle or succeed in the 4th Industrial Revolution workplace.

Solution

Infinite Family motivates black South African teens via real-time video mentoring to transform their lives by creating opportunities thru choices, actions and hard work during secondary school. Via technology, Video Mentors fill the void as "one supportive adult" to help teens learn to turn toxic stress into lifetime resilience and strength. Since 2013, 93% of video mentored 12th graders have qualified for college/university and moved into careers their parents & grand-parents never dreamed of.

Long-Term Impact

Every Black South African student who achieves advanced education and a good job supports up to fifteen (15) siblings and extended family members. Video Mentors inspire and motivate their Net Buddy mentees to excel thru 12th grade and move into a future with choices and stability. They in turn become the role models for younger students to break the cycles of poverty and violence that lead to toxic stress, failure and dependence by replacing these with success and self-reliance.

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources