News letter

We are very happy to share with you our brand new website! Here we will keep you updated on our projects and provide more information about who we are. We also made it easier for people to donate and created a new page about volunteering at Soweto Youth Initiative. Have a look around and let us know what you think. Also, feel free to follow us on our different social media channels; Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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Soweto Slum Kitchen Garden

In our community there is no farming land and the families have built structures that are clustered. Since they live in an almost urban area farming land is not available and there is also no space in the homes to practice farming, hence the need to have hanging potted plants. The families have to fend for food with the little money they get and often they go hungry including the children.
We run a feeding program that feeds the children of our community once every week and this is what inspired us to think of this project. Our project plans to provide crops that will be used to feed the families or supplement their food. In addition the crops provide a range of nutrition for the community and act as natural pesticides.
 

Quarterly report (MAY-AUGUST 2019)

INTRODUCTION

The report encompasses all the activities carried out by Soweto youth initiative mainly; children program, somo initiative, interact with me, nishike mkono, voluntary program and the annual event that took place as at 1^st may 2019 to 31^st august 2019.The report will elaborate on the progress, success and challenges encountered through the implementation cycle of these programs.

DEPARTMENTAL REPORT

1. CHILDREN PROGRAM

During the last quarter, the children program department conducted the following activities

• weekly feeding program
• educational field trip
• kitchen gardening program

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• We are able prepare and provide meal to the children visiting our center every Saturday as well as ensuring that we provide the fruits or a soft snack every afternoon.
• We managed to take 75 children for an educational trip field that helped them in opening up their eyes to the outside world.
• We also carried out pilot kitchen gardening in 5 households with a view of making sure that every household in Soweto sets up its own kitchen garden.
• Our kids also represented the group in an environmental conservation competition (Green Kids Awards) especially in plastic recycling and emerged as 1^st runners up.
  
  
  

NEXT QUARTER GOALS

• We plan to initiate 10 more kitchen garden at designated household with aim ensure sustainable food supply.
• We also planning for the Kids festival in December as a thanks giving for the wonderful year we have experienced with kids.
  
  SOMO INITIATIVE
  

ACCOMPLISHMENT

• Enrolled 4 children to school.
• Liaised with world vision organization and managed to enroll 5 teenagers who had dropped out of school to a hair beauty college.
• Provided stationeries materials (books and pens) in May and August.
  
  
  

NEXT QUARTER GOALS

• Raise fund for the Uniform distribution program that will take place on the 1^st weekend of January. We are looking forward to provide 150 pieces of school uniform as the kids opens for the new year.
  
  INTERACT WITH ME
  
  

ACCOMPLISHMENT

• There has been a continuation of the monthly forums aimed creating knowledge and advocacy to the teenagers on issues affecting them.
• We managed to partner with a group known as Milele Youth that offered training to the teens of sexual reproductive health and body hygiene.
  By the end of the training, girls were given sanitary pads while boys were offered underpants.
  
  
  

NEXT QUARTER GOALS

• Organize career day event for the teens so as connect them with their area of specialty.
• Continuation of the weekly forum and the monthly sanitary pads distribution program.
  
  NISHIKE MKONO
  

 ACCOMPLISHMENT

• We were provided with new sawing machine courtesy of Kijana Empowerment center for the good works of equipping skills to the youths.
• We got a water tank from the county government which the young mothers will be using to offer carwash and carpet wash services.
• We conducted a beauty pageant (Mr. and Miss Soweto) where we were sensitizing the youths of the importance of rising up and focusing on the dreams and life goals.
  
  
  

NEXT QUARTER GOALS

• Offer financial training to the youth and also collaborate with the neighboring banks to give advice and expertise on saving and investments.
  
  VOLUNTARY PROGRAM
  

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Through the help of Jose and Clara from Spain we managed to cement the floor of the entire center hence now there has been a reduction of dust.
• Anny from U.S.A offered a year sponsorship of the sanitary towels.
• Joshi from India bought cleaning equipment for the young mother’s car wash project.
• Andre from Italy bought stationeries of the children and also purchased kitchen equipment (cups, plates and spoons) for the feeding program.
• We partnered with World Gift an organization from japan who gave us toys for the kids.
• We have also partnered with ADVENTURE-VOLUNTEER from Spain who agreed to be sending volunteers to our center.
  
  
  

CONCLUSION

After a busy 2^nd quarter which packaged with lots of activities we were really pleased to accomplish all the things mentioned above. We also experienced financial shortcomings all through making it hard to effectively run some of the programs and activity but we are so thankful of all our friends how came on board to help us out.