Happy Freedom Day, South Africa!

As we are celebrating with the world the 20 years of FREEDOM in our beloved country South Africa, it is a rather an emotional day for us here at Kliptown Youth Program. This is due to the fact that some of the responses that we get when we shout “Happy Freedom Day” to everyone we come across are truly disheartening. Some people say that there is nothing to celebrate on Freedom Day because 20 years later nothing has changed in this community.

Yes, we do acknowledge that at times one cannot be blamed for questioning such excitement on this day when the government is widely accused of being corrupt and having done very little for the people of this country especially the poor. However, what we wish people from Kliptown and all over the world to take note of is that we might still be poor but we are not oppressed! Thus, today no man can declare himself to be superior to the other, especially because of the colour of their skin, race, gender or religion, and make comments like PW Botha made to his Cabinet in 1985 when he said “Blacks look like human beings and act like human beings do not necessarily make them sensible human beings. They are good in nothing else but making noise, dancing, marrying many wives and indulging in sex. Let us all accept that the Black man is the symbol of poverty, mental inferiority, laziness and emotional incompetence.” – without fear or favour be called what he truly is Racist and get punished by the law!

To us Freedom Day is all about embracing the fact that today we are living in a world were everyman is the master of his own fate. This simply means that having the ability to live freely, peacefully without any doubts that someone can take that freedom away from you. We have rights, thus, we are respected in our societies regardless of the colour of skin, race or gender.

Again, HAPPY FREEDOM DAY SOUTH AFRICA!!!

 

Google Images

I always give the children my “All of Me”!

By Lerato Thamae – Grade 6 Tutor

My name is Lerato Thamae, I am a young passionate, motivated and hardworking female person, who is interested in working in a group, pair or alone. I have a positive attitude and high self-esteem. I would really like to help young children so that they can grow with a positive and a well motivated mind.

The reason why I am tutoring at Kliptown Youth Programme (KYP) is that teaching is the first choice of my careers. I like to work with children and provide them with the little knowledge that I have because some of them do not get love and care at home.

Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to further my studies after my grade 12 because of lack of funds. As a result, tutoring at KYP has helped me to learn more from children as they have different ideas and perspective towards various issues. Since I’ve been here my English has improved a lot because most students have registered English as first language at school, thus, we are required to speak English during the tutoring sessions. I have passion and I am not short tempered so I am really enjoying working with children.

Teaching is not easy especially if you are not a professional teacher but because I know the importance of education, I am always giving the children my all of me in order to help effectively. Whenever I am with the children I make sure they know and understand the importance of education. This is due to the fact that Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.

I hope to create the butterfly effect with my contribution

By Simphiwe Mthembu – Grade 2 Tutor

I am Simphiwe Mthembu, 24 years old. I matriculated in the year 2008 at EMshukantambo Secondary School. I joined KYP in the year 2007 and 2008 where I took part in the tutorial program. Being part of this wonderful organization has helped me a lot because in the year 2009 I studied Marketing at Vaal Technology Institute, through KYP. I am part of the management team working as a One Laptop Per Child computer program coordinator. I also facilitate the Reading Eggs online literacy program and lastly I tutor the grade two students.

When I first started tutoring I was tutoring the grade 5’s, then I was given the opportunity to tutor the grade two’s. The reason as to why I am tutoring is that a lot of the kids do not get support at their respective homes and schools some of these kids go to do not give them the attention they need because a teacher teaches (+- 30 t0 40) students alone. So as tutors us bridging that gap by making sure we assist these kids. For the fact that I grew up in a disadvantaged community I believe by helping these learners with their schoolwork, they can be able to pass but more especially help them get good grades instead of passing with lower marks. I have been working with kids a lot ever since I joined KYP and I got to see and put myself in their shoes at times, which is why I continue helping them in order for them to do better in their schoolwork.

My dream is to see all grade 2 learners being able to speak, read and write English with confidence, through making sure that they do not get absent in programs like Reading Eggs on the days scheduled for them. Programs like these are helpful especially for kids their age. I have learnt a lot from being a tutor and I hope my contributions towards these learners make a huge difference. ‘’It takes a village to raise a child’’ and KYP is doing its outmost best to make sure all these kids which are served know and understand the importance of education and how it will benefit them at the end. I believe we are the building blocks these learners need in order for them to improve in their academics.

The reason I tutor at KYP

By Kamogelo Welcome Masoko – Grade 5 Tutor

First and foremost, my name is Kamogelo Welcome Masoko, I am a 25 year old student at one of South Africa’s prominent Universities known as UNISA. I am a brother of 7 and an uncle to 1. I live with my mother, stepfather, grandfather, step-grandmother, my siblings and some tenants. I reside at Molapo, an unfamiliar township to many but I am planning on moving out since I feel like I need to grow more and expand my horizons. I am a hardworking individual who is self-reliant, a well-structured professional and I have strong interpersonal skills. I truly and humbly believe in doing a difference in whatever way I can, I want to be the change I need to see in the world. I was firmly raised by my grandmother who always taught me to stay inspired by the challenges that I find myself in. I am the kind of person who is resilience; I hardly complain, give in or stay unhappy for that matter. Basically I love being out of my comfort zone.

I have served my nation as a Service leader (volunteer) in a National Youth Service Program called City Year South Africa (CYSA) last year, which has always been my dream to be part of. I matriculated in 2007 of which I could have matriculated a year earlier than that if I could have taken my studies seriously; however, I have never been employed in my life since then so City Year was my first practical job. I applied three times and got rejected twice. Nevertheless, City Year is a non-profitable organization like Kliptown Youth Program (KYP). It highly believes in the power and idealism of young people as a means to create a strong and a vibrant society. City Year provides an intensive year of full time community service, leadership and personal development to a diverse group of South African volunteers. Thanks to City Year I met Thulani Madondo who is the founder of Kliptown Youth Program which I am so honored and grateful to be part and parcel of it today. When I am not serving my people, I am” hustling” or struggling trying to make a living like everyone else. Therefore due to lack of resources and knowledge, I got accepted at varsity in 2010 and 2011 I begin to endure this long journey I am struggling with. So far both institutions (UNISA and City Year) have taught me a lot about life in general. To me making a contrast while I take myself to school, is like living my African dream, I don’t value self-determination.
As a Service Leaders we were chosen from a cross-section of youth, representing all racial, socioeconomic, educational and religious and language groups. We worked in teams, relying on each other skills and experiences to serve the communities in which we worked in. Teams were supported by a strong network of staff, referral systems and training. Each team of Service Leaders was partnered with a public school, where After School Support was provided to Grade 4 to 7 learners through the City Year Children’s Club (CYCC). The Club focused on 3 components, learning through play, literacy and Environmental Awareness and numeracy. We served at 14 schools around Gauteng. I served my tenure at Somelulwazi Primary School in Freedom Park where my responsibilities were to facilitate the City Year Children’s Club (grade 7s), implementing projects and working in a team. Based 0n my responsibilities as the Team Captain, my performance met expectations at all times. Working together with the team to ensure that integrity and smooth flow of the club and team, to ensure that each coordinator is operating well and do what is required, supports the Site Leader and also to make decisions in the absence of the Site Leader after consultation and so forth.

Throughout my participation while studying towards my BA, I have developed the following skills; facilitation skills, basic first aid, financial literacy, team dynamics, job readiness, environmental awareness and business management. I worked exceptionally well as in a team of 13 Service Leaders. I have demonstrated the ability to lead, as well as to be led, and to work individually, as well as in a team setting. I have also demonstrated the ability to take initiative in any situation I was faced with. I am a perceptive individual who respects authority and boundaries. I pay great attention to details, and works well with people of all ages. I worked best in individualized tasks and I am a wonderful motivator who is always ready to be called upon.
Therefore as a grade 7 tutor and with the skills I have acquired from all corners of the Earth, not only from CYSA, I believe that I would make a productive contribution to KYP. I also love being in an organization that values are congruent to mine and that values its employees/volunteers like KYP. Confidently, I believe that I will contribute in achieving the goals set out in the vision and mission statements of the organization. KYP, thank you for being a home away from home.

Dedicating my time to tutor children in my community

By Tshebeletso Precious Selebalo – Grade 5 Tutor

I am a 21 year old girl who grew up in the community of Kliptown. I have lived in this area all my life, and therefore that is the reason why I have dedicated my time tutoring the kids at KYP. Like most of them I have and still face the challenges they face every day. I understand how much they need education since they live in a deprived community where education is the only gateway to success.
According to me, being their tutor does not necessarily mean just helping them with their school work, it also means giving them the much needed love and being there for all of them as a trusted adult. I know how difficult and painful it is to have no one at home to help you either with school work or other life challenges. I believe more than 50% of the children at KYP come from homes that are precarious, rocky and unbalanced. I volunteered to be one of their tutors because I want to close that gap by being their friend, by loving them and most importantly by giving them educational assistance.
Growing up in the informal settlements of Kliptown is a great challenge for kids and young adults. This is not only due to the impoverishment but also because of the stigma our community has. Most youngsters do drugs, gamble and there is a lot of teenage pregnancy. As I grew up I was told that I cannot have life outside this circle. KYP gives our youth and kids a better environment, a platform that gives hope and improves lives. It gives them the voice that says “you can do it; you can rise above your circumstances”. Being part of this voice and lending a hand by just simply tutoring gives me great joy and satisfaction.
I consider myself as someone who has failed in life. As I grew up I had great goals, the first step being to pass my matric and go to university. I did live up to them; I passed my matric and went to Monash University. That was only for a short while though since that only lasted for one semester. I faced financial crisis and had to drop out. That was the most painful event in my life. Nevertheless, that is the sole reason why I tutor at KYP. I just want to help make sure that the kids in my community get a better life and will not have to go through what I had to go through.
I tutor because I love the children at KYP and in my community; I want what is best for them and I want them to succeed in life. Ever since I started tutoring I sleep better at night knowing I have impacted positively on some kid’s life. The impact may seem small, but to me it means the world.

KYP Heads for China Again!

KYP Gumboots Dancers

“Some people see scars, and it is wounding they remember. To us they are proof of the fact that there is healing.” – Linda Hogan. At Kliptown Youth Program nothing gives us more pleasure like not only uniting black people and white people in South Africa but the whole world with the scars left behind by the apartheid regime. As a result, our KYP members will be embarking on a journey to Shanghai – China on the 20th of March 2014 for the fourth time this year. During this trip the KYP members will performing the Gumboots dances at schools and some of the biggest events in China. They will be also running workshops to teach school children the newly developed Gumboots styles because sharing is one of our core values at KYP.

This great relationship with China developed when Shelley Bragg a South African teacher based in Shanghai visited the Kliptown Youth Program. During her visit she was deeply touched by the Gumboots performance and felt the need to showcase this great dance to her school and form part of the KYP’s fundraising efforts.

Gumboot dancing was conceived by black miners in South Africa as an alternative to drumming—which authorities restricted. Another reason for gumboot dancing was for the miners in South Africa as they worked they sang. Gumboot dancing has now become a world-known dance; in schools children perform the dance.[2] The boots were a solution to a problem of often flooded gold mines in which men otherwise stood in knee-deep water toiling at their work stations.[3] It is also thought that the workers used the gumboots to relay messages to each other that they did not want their bosses to overhear.

As they take upon this extraordinary journey, we wish them all the best and a safe trip.
China ready or not… here we come!!!

Letter to Our Beloved Donors

Kliptown, Soweto

One of the South African townships that has love, mercy and always filled with warmth for all its residents including visitors and tourists is Kliptown. Thus, if it was a man, he would be that guy you really love to hate! In a literal manner this would mean that Kliptown is such an annoyingly cheerful character that everyone always takes a great pleasure in despising him for his overabundance of cheer.

Well that is our wish and dream. In reality Kliptown is actually no different from the Garden of Gethsemane, which is known as a pressing place. To the sons and daughters of the soil it is a place where the pressure bears down on them every day, leaving them feeling the weight that they cannot even seem. It’s not a matter of question that if you in this township your soul will be bent over because the burden it will make you carry people cannot even see. The conditions here will make you to live with pain you can never articulate and leave your soul troubled.

It’s not surprising that sometimes we feel like the world is not really feeling us because no one is actually crying when we are crying, living in the dark when load shedding is affecting us almost every day, and walking on tippy-toes due to the muddy streets. However, we would like to thank all Kliptown Youth Program donors for sharing our weight of the worry, anxiety, pressure, burden, cost of being us to the point where they can feel our pain by assisting us to help the Kliptown children and youth to get proper education, go to school and to sleep with full stomach! This act to each and every one of us living in Kliptown us is a true sign that we are on our way out of poverty – I’ve been upon a lot of pressure but m on my way out!

From KYP with love

Adapted from A Pressing Place by Bishop T D Jakes

KYP Leaders Are the Enforcers of Change

Kliptown Youth Program leadership

 

The need for change in Kliptown started as a dream – a dream about reality, which is affecting our people especially the youth. In case you were wondering that reality is living in extreme poverty, thus, one couldn’t sit and watch it ravage our society. I couldn’t sit and watch my people try to fight for survival on their own and we all just couldn’t! As a result, the Kliptown Youth Program (KYP) was born because we are the ones who can drive the change that is desperately needed not only in Kliptown but in Africa and the world as a whole.

As a response to the social issues faced by the community of Kliptown, the young, driven individuals of the Kliptown Youth program had to stand up and do something to prevent and stop the poverty they grew up in. This was to give the upcoming generation opportunities that we were denied by those who enforced Apartheid in South Africa. The opportunities that are being created will give rise to the better life for everyone in our community. With no resources or any capital to begin this great initiative, the Kliptown youth had resilience and time. One would ask how they could have such great qualities in themselves with all the challenges they have been through!  Impressive I must say.

I see KYP as an answer to many children’s prayers because they are being supported on their education needs, provided with food and exposure to the world through arts. Children are being taught to be the change they want to be. This is due to the fact that at the end of the day it is what we are hungry for and only lord knows how bad we are waiting for the fruits of it to rise.

“It makes us feel good” commented Top 10 CNN HERO Thulani Madondo, expressing his feelings about the work we do for the youth in Kliptown. These words clearly show the love behind the great work. The leaders of the Kliptown Youth Program are making the change every day for 450 youth in Kliptown.

Ladies and Gentleman I speak here as one of the beneficiaries of the program. I write this article with a big smile up to my forehead.  I was given a chance and today I am living the change.

We are not the lost youth. We are making a difference and you better give us an applause for that.