Annamarie Friedrich from Germany recently visted the Masibambane Creche accompanied by Stine Kiil Saga from Norway. This is how she felt."One small room for sixty children and the kitchen is simply consists of one table, the toilet is a bucket and there is one bed for all the children. They have almost no toy's. Most of the parent's are death or they are still kid's and they have to go to school or to work the whole day. I have visited the project and it really makes me sad. We can help them with a little engagement".
YOC recently presented the Masibambane crèche with fun toys, puzzles, building blocks and kiddies table and chairs through the support from Investec. Jabulani, who is the founder of YOC was so moved by the crèche when he visited the area last year and he commitment his time to help in any manner he can to change lives of these children. YOC then decided to ‘adopt’ the Masibambane (means, let hold together) crèche as an activation partner.
The kids from the Masibambane crèche are truly amazing and adorable. Their unconfined friendliness really touches you and their faces tell a lot of stories. When they received their new chairs, tables and toys they danced and sung and performed for us. They received their gifts with so much joy and the largest smiles. YOC Cares project has further been able to sent one of the care givers to attend Early Childhood Development training to assist her to run the crèche with good education and creativity to prepare children for school. With the right education, YOC believes that the care givers can better prepare the kids for primary school. We intend to train the other 3 care givers when funds are available so that they are able to run the crèche sufficiently and better look after the kids.
Through this project, YOC seeks to address the issue of under qualified care givers that are responsible for looking after 60 kids, 0-6 year old children from 7am - 4pm in extremely poor and unsafe conditions with no toys and resources. The Masibambane crèche is located in greater rural part of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. YOC really admires these unpaid care givers for their time in setting up a crèche for children to help their impoverished community.
We hope through our efforts and donations, Masibambane crèche can be a suitable place where children feel safe, stimulated and well educated. YOC mission is support the Masibambane crèche to get funding for resources to run the crèche and ultimately build an educare centre for these vulnerable children.
I’m sure that the indomitable spirit of many of these kids will push us to do even better next time we visit them. That can only happen with your support and whatever you can give can go a long way in changing the lives of the children. Many thanks to Investec for showing us that they are true caring South African corporate citizen. If you wish to help, please email us at info@youthofchoice.org or contact us 079 5396131.
Just in two months time, South Africa will be on the world centre stage and the Youth of Choice Organization (YOC) has recognized the opportunity to celebrate the staging of the world cup through the Diski Dance campaign leading up to the world cup. South Africa will find itself in the global spotlight as never before, so if you have not done the Diski Dance, you better start learning the Diski Dance through our campaign.
This new launched campaign and exciting initiative which aims to intensify mass mobilization campaigns already on taking place in the country and generate excitement in our region ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. This project gives South Africans soccer fans a chance to learn the moves and “feel” the rhythm of African football.
This campaign aims to give South Africans soccer enthusiasts in government, municipalities, companies, organizations, institutions, schools and the tourist a chance to learn the moves and showcase the country's energetic spirit. YOC wants to promote Diski Dance as symbol South Africa’s national dance of goodwill in the streets of our towns, cities, and villages.
Our campaign has been dubbed, GO BEYOND 90 MUNITES!!!, and we are saying to South Africans they must Live it! Love it! & Do it! Diski is the common South African slang for the game of football and Diski Dance comprises of a series choreographed soccer moves in a uniform routine that showcases the country’s passion for football. This campaign is headed by Thandeka Ntshangase who is a vibrant, young lady full of energy and an accomplished dancer teacher. She wants to inspire all people in our region to get involved in the spirit of the world cup and add to the lasting legacy of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The Diski Dance is simply a must do for all South Africans (soccer fans or not). The Diski dance provides fun, team building, promote excitement and national unity. Special focus will be getting the young people in schools and tertiary institutions leading the way in this campaign with the hoping that the 2010 FIFA World Cup has a direct impact on our youth legacy. For companies, departments and municipalities this will be a great teambuilding opportunity and encourage the moral of staff.
For more information and bookings, you may contact Thandeka Ntshangase on 073 8946957 or email yocsouthafrica@gmail.com.
YOC founder, Jabulani Myeza is seen here possing with one of South Africas soccer legend Marks "Mafa" Maponyane during the the SABC 2010 FEEL IT, its here campaign at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban recently. Follow our Diski Dance project and find out how YOC is creating hype around this event.
Following an intensive review of the Get it Rite Basketball Development Programme and the standard of coaching at local municipalities within Umgungundlovu District, YOC and in partnership with the YMCA took a decision to equip about 25 coaches with the required basic skills and knowledge to further develop basketball in their communities. The proposed seminar will enable the coaches and mentors to:
·Facilitate the acquiring of basketball coaching skills and critical leadership skills to make positive difference in their communities and lives of the children with whom they work with;
·Empower the coaches and mentors to teach the children they work with the risk involve with unhealthy behavior and teach them the necessary skills to live better life styles;
·Build community involvement to ensure long term sustainability of the sport; and
·Evaluate effectiveness of our methodology to use basketball to keep children away from crime, drug abuse, prevent teenage, reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, instill practical life skills and develop credible future leaders.
The Get it Rite Seminar will provide invaluable opportunity for basketball coaches to gain much knowledge from the seminar as possible and spread what they have learnt to the rest of their communities. The seminar will focus on skills development for aspiring coaches and will include theory and practical presentation on both basketball fundamentals, officiating and life skills. We are particularly thankful to the YMCA for providing a platform on 22 March to present a learning environment to the coaches. The seminar will start at 8am and ends at 4pm. This seminar is part YOC train the trainer programme geared towards the development and sustainability of the sport of basketball and more importantly to cultivate positive change amongst the change agents (coaches & mentors).
Our progress with the ongoing Get it Rite Clinics can only be measured in the words of one of our volunteers, “It’s interesting how YOC is combining basketball training with life skills sessions to cultivate positive change to young people”. For the participating coaches and mentors, this seminar will be a great opportunity for them as role models to share what they will gain with future basketball starts and to build credible future leaders.
Our goal is to make a sustainable difference in the lives of young people in vulnerable communities. Our founding document listed nine critical areas to address in the establishment of YOC to carter for the youth between 8 to 24 years old. Our constitution identifies specific challenges facing young people and makes practical suggestions on how to address them through outreach projects, educational campaigns and support programmes.
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