By Harrison Dax Nash | Charity Director / Project Leader
I often think that for people in the field in South Africa it is clear that, despite the progress made in the country as a whole, the level of need when it comes to child protection is at an undisputedly high level. However it is often a question that I would be directed at from those wondering why we would focus our attention and fundraising efforts towards young people specifically here.
Sadly in South Africa child abuse victims are often left to deal with the pain and trauma of violence in isolation. The statistics when it comes to child abuse are very sobering. The idea that 34 per cent of children here are victims of sexual violence and physical abuse before they reach the age of 18 is a shocking fact that we cannot be apathetic to.
It is sad to think of what can happen when this abuse is left too late. South Africa has the highest reported rate of child murder globally. In this country 5% of all murders committed are children. It is also absolutely true that children are exposed to high levels of violence within their communities which has a tremendous impact on their development.
Yet it is also frustrating when I hear people say that the children we support are “lucky”. Yes they may be removed from an unsafe situation. But there is also a reason why the policies around child protection will tell you that being placed in a child & youth care centre, such as what the funds raised here will assist, should be used as a “last resort”.
The children at our centre can be orphans, children living and working on the streets, survivors of physical and sexual abuse, chronic neglect cases, raised in impoverished conditions where domestic violence and substance abuse is a part of life or simply left abandoned to fend for themselves. It is therefore our job to step in and help the child achieve their full potential thanks to our services and often address the educational backlogs to help that child attain the education they are capable of.
So as you read this please know that this project is very much still active and we are definitely in need of funds to help continue our work. This month alone so far we have admitted 3 new children and have made plans for a 2 year old boy (our youngest child yet) to be accommodated here so he can be reunited with his 11 year old sister he became separated from.
I am writing this update now as we come off the back of Child Protection Week with the campaign theme being “Let us all protect children to move South Africa forward”. I will always remind our team that the youth of today become the adults of tomorrow so what you are investing in these children has a long-lasting impact. It was Nelson Mandela who said that our children will be the leaders and that they ‘are the rock on which our future will be built’.
What has been positive to see is that most recently KFC South Africa began supporting nutrition at our youth projects through allowing us to be a beneficiary of their Add Hope project. We also were very busy for Earth Day in which our children have been making eco-bricks through collecting waste plastic and made posters which were subsequently used on a march to raise awareness of the cause. Finally it was also the first time we had our girls take part in the annual Spar Women’s Race here in Port Elizabeth to great success!
Yet we are dependent on funding we receive to be able to open the doors and continuing to ensure that ALL the children in our care are enrolled in schools best suited to their educational needs. Can we count on your support???
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By Harrison Dax Nash | Project Leader / Charity Director
By Harrison Dax Nash | Charity Director / Project Leader
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