Stepping Stones International launched

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Wednesday October 19, 2011 00:00

 

With a holding capacity of 200, the orphanage is aimed at giving orphans and vulnerable children aged 12 and older hope by helping them 'find themselves'.'These are mostly out of school youth, primarily in Kgatleng district, however, we will expand to other districts.

We are planning to reach 500 youth at the centre and then reach out to an additional 6,500 with the programme activities,' she added.Jamu said that most of the children are usually referred to the centre by social workers, village development committees and guidance counsellors. 'We then have the guidance counsellors choose youth who meet three criteria.

The youth are then interviewed and the caregivers sign commitment forms for the youth to enter,' she said, adding that the youth then sign commitment pledges to be in the programme.'The centre provides psychosocial support, life skills and leadership skills.

These are aimed at unlocking the potential of orphaned and vulnerable adolescents and guiding them to find the leader within themselves,' Jamu said. She said that their psychosocial support programme offers counselling, art, drama, sports, and caregiver support.  Their life skills programme provides education, communication and peer education, while the leadership skills programme provides career, income generating, and computer.

They also have a community mobilisation programme, which provides education on community welfare activities and recycling.The centre prides itself on achievements scored since it started operating in 2006. 'We have been able to place in school and in the work force nine of our initial participants and we are pleased to see the results of our efforts, when our youth sit for tests and pass their exams,' she said.

'We have this year entertained in one way or another, the Obama family, Princess Royal Anne of England, and several other guests who have heard of this centre and wanted to visit,' she continued.She said that their greatest goal is to ensure that, at least 75 percent of our participants go on to higher education or become employed within 12 months of completing the programme.

'We are asking for more companies and tertiary institutions to partner with us and offer internship or scholarship opportunities to the youth in the leadership programme,' she said.