The Children of the Dawn Centre in Ermelo have had a busy Spring with their children participating in various programmes during and after the school holidays.
A total of 30 teenagers from Wesselton attended a camp at Genessaret in Chrissiesmeer from 3 to 6 September where they learned about various things teenagers face on a daily basis and how to combat them.
Community stakeholders which included the South African Police Service and the Department of Social Development presented talks aimed at arming the teens with information and knowledge if ever they are facing difficult situations.
A Code of Conduct document was drawn up during the camp and the teens have to follow the code and failing to do so will result in punitive measures.
The rules included respecting different cultures, sexuality, beliefs, and loyalty to the centre, community and friends.
The three-day camp was a build-up to the “Fit to be my friend” campaign the centre is currently running where the teens are taught how to choose friends that will bring positive change into their lives.
The campaign began with the teens visiting juvenile facilities to see how negative life choices can impact their lives.
The teens will now go out into their communities and form a friendship with a peer who brings positive qualities into their lives.
The friends will be introduced in a small gathering that will be planned at the Children of the Dawn centre in Wesselton at the Thuthukani Community Centre.
“At the party the teens will introduce their new friends and explain all the great qualities he or she brings to their friendship,” Mr Petrus Zulu, Director of Children of the Dawn Ermelo, said.
The preteens were not left out in all the fun and also participated in a Money Matters programme.
The young ones are currently creating piggybanks where they will be able to save their money. They are tasked with making their own piggybank for personal use and a group piggybank that will stay at the centre.
“We are teaching them on how to save money and how to use it responsibly,” Mr Zulu said.
The programme also teaches them about fundraising because every Friday the children will be expected to go out in the community to sell various items and money collected there will be deposited in the piggybanks.
The Children of the Dawn is a centre that focuses on caring for disadvantaged children who are affected by social ills.
The centre provides a haven for the children where they present after school programmes and food before the children return to their homes.
