If only you could see the smile and the joy in the faces of the children that participate in Youth Potential South Africa - YOUPSA's programs here in rural South Africa - you would understand what kind of a difference your support makes. With your help we bring weekly Creative Youth Empowerment programs to Grades 4 - 12, serving 16 different classes throughout the year. Supporting a class equips each student with unique learning experiences that reaches beyond the classroom & into the community.
The children are living in underresourced rural areas and are surrounded by extreme stressors that make learning and growing up very difficult. Poverty, malnutrition, sickness, drugs and violence, the lack of support both at home and in school, prevents children from identifying their inner potential and unfolding this. Adversity affects their ability to engage with the world, make healthy life choices and be successful. For these students, developing social and emotional skills is critical.
YOUPSA is the only education charity in the region. Children that are able to participate weekly in our popular programs can unfold their potential, develop the ability to express themselves confidently and creatively, learn strategic thinking and navigate challenges. This is the only place where youth have a chance to express their emotions, build strong relationships, solve interpersonal problems, make effective decisions and build a vision for their future. This is so liberating and such fun!
This project impacts over 900 rural children and their families that live in severely compromised situations. For at-risk students in very poor communities developing the critical life skills offered in the YOUPSA programs greatly increases their motivation and capacity to learn and improves their attendance and graduation rates. This can really make all the difference between being consumed by the challenges of a disadvantaged life or rising above it to become inspired, successful young adults.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
