‘Thug’ turns new leaf with Keep the Dream
Ten years ago, Louis Mawila from Shilubane village outside Tzaneen, was a young criminal who drank alcohol, took drugs and terrorised his rural community.
LIMPOPO – Today, the 25-year-old is a youth activist, role model, motivational speaker, trained scout and a Manager at Wisani Burial Society who uses his spare time to make a difference in his community.
Louis is a poster boy for Keep The Dream196 (KTD196), a local non-profit organisation that has been changing the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children for more than 10 years.
“Joining KTD196 taught me to be honest, to live a clean life, to be a responsible person and to work hard towards achieving a positive future for myself.
“It was so empowering. I feel I have been mentored in a family of people who care about me and want me to succeed,” he said.
Louis was 12 years old when his parents divorced and his mother moved out of their family home. His father worked far from home and only came back on weekends.
“It was a difficult time for my three sisters and I. I started taking drugs, drinking alcohol and stealing from residents in the community. I was destined for a life of crime and spending time in prison. I also became very aggressive towards my sisters,” Louis remembered.
At the age of 16, Louis went to an initiation school in the mountains, but that didn’t help him to find peace in his life or become a responsible adult.
“Going to the initiation school didn’t make me a man. I was taught things that undermine the values of family and community. I became more confused and continued to do bad things in the community,” he said.
Louis added his life changed dramatically after he joined the KTD196 organisation and became a scout.
“I was given an opportunity to go hiking, camping and develop camp craft skills. I learnt to read a map and compass.
“Every time we went to camp, I was entrusted to come back and share the information with those who didn’t go with us. This helped to build my confidence, self-esteem and leadership skills.
“What I like about KTD196 is that they take all children, no one is refused. We all learn to work together and now I am an Assistant Troop Scouter, a community leader and a role model. I am proud of who I am today. Scouting and KTD196 has shown me what it means to be a real man,” he said.
The Managing Director of KTD196, Louise Batty, said her organisation has a comprehensive integrated model of training, care and support for all orphaned and vulnerable children which incorporates providing a safety net at all levels to assist the child to become resilient and an active member of society.
“Our organisation has made a huge impact in a variety of spheres for these children. Our children achieve a matriculation pass rate of 90% compared to the average 62% in the province. We have touched the lives of more than 12 000 children,” she said.
