As you may already know, I had the pleasure of volunteering in South Africa on the International Citizen Service (ICS) program for 3 months from September to December 2017. During this time I worked closely with ‘Keep The Dream 196.’ They are a non-profit organisation who work closely with orphans and vulnerable children in Tzaneen, Limpopo. Through their scouts/cub movement, young people from the ages of 5 to 25 are given the opportunity to work towards badges which can be worn on their shirts with pride. Working towards a badge encourages the young people to be committed, confident and develop their leadership skills.

Working directly with KTD has given me a clear idea of how their powerful vision has truly impacted young people in Limpopo. As a volunteer, I was able to teach in a local school where some of the children from KTD attended. I noticed that the cubs in my Grade 4 English class were more engaged and resilient in lessons, which is just one example of how the children involved in KTD are set apart from others.

During my time in South Africa I stayed with a host family and an in-country volunteer Sinethemba from KwaZulu-Natal. Living abroad comes with its challenges, but Sinethemba was truly more than a roomie, but a friend and a sister. Her and her twin sister have set up a non-profit organisation called 'The Pearl Sisters Open Heart Foundation.' They have several objectives, some of which are to establish reading rooms in needy communities, offer medical assistance to those with HIV/AIDS and to empower young people who may feel discouraged. For example, they work with child-headed households. These are families that have no parent figure and the eldest sibling is forced to take up such responsibilities which often leads to them lacking parental love themselves. Ultimately, the vision of TPSOHF is ' mending, restoring and rebuilding' families and communities.

I would really appreciate it if you could help me support the vision of KTD and TPSOHF where the money raised will be split equally between the 2 non-profit organisations. The money raised for KTD will help with the general running of the organisation from maintenance of the KTD bus, to the upkeep of their camp resources and equipment. Additionally, the money raised for TPSOHF will contribute towards their vision of restoring communities by targeting social issues through educating communities to bring about the change they want to see.

Thank you for taking time to read this, your support is really appreciated.