Child Sports - Project SuperCamps - Cape Town:

The challenge: Despite the new democracy, the number of women and children in the "at risk" category is growing, not lessening. Despite the advent of many worthy organizations and their best efforts, the need is far from being fully met. South Africa is a strange dichotomy of rich and poor living together but often in completely separate worlds. Thus the "first world" South Africa is often ignorant and unaware of the desperate plight of fellow "third world" citizens living under their noses.

Many poor children living in this most beautiful city will never see the sea or walk on the mountain during their entire life, despite living just minutes away.

Children at risk lack basic Lifeskills. Camping facilities often stand idle during term time, and the available infra-structure and resources of some organizations is under-utilized because of lack of collaboration. The capacity of ordinary men and women in the street to do some positive good for their needy neighbours is not being tapped. Child care workers live under incessant pressure of concern and find it difficult to have a break. This project aims to meet these needs through the message of a simple, easily-understood campaign: let's all make a sacrifice to give our neediest children a week-long outdoor camping experience that will change their lives.

As in other parts of South Africa, in the Western Cape women and children are living at risk - from HIV and AIDS, poverty, Crime, Violence, Family crises, racism and gender discrimination. In recent years, various non-profit volunteer organizations have sprung up in an attempt to meet these needs. The Connect Network was founded in October 2004 to increase the effectiveness of the response of these disparate organizations, to the needs of women and children in the wider Cape Town area.

The Big idea: The purpose of the camps is to provide these children with all the benefits of a top class camping experience: an experience of healthy relationships within the temporary family community of the camp, exposure to healthy role models, specialized teaching in age-appropriate Lifeskills, practical skills for living in SA today, loads of memorable fun, exploring values to last a life time. This is experiencing God's love through human hands - it builds on the work done in the context of their ongoing caring agencies, but for one unforgettable week it takes them into a different, beautiful, outdoors, loving and friendly world. In this "away" world of new horizons, children can begin to believe the impossible and forge a dream for their future lives.

These children are amongst the poorest of the poor who all come from dysfunctional families and who live on the fringes of our society - on the streets or in the care of child care organizations. In addition to the intangible benefits of the camping experience, each will receive a warm track suit and personal hygiene pack - to keep them warm during cold months, and to enable them to continue with basic personal hygiene after the camp.

 

Will you join us and stop this tragedy now?

 

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