This project was born out of a workshop held with women from Cape Town communities. One of the ladies response to, ‘Where does your greatest source of stress lie?” was; ‘That my daughters won’t be able to stay at school”. Both her daughters are now University Graduates.
This is Katlego’s Story
A simple girl, from a simple city, with extraordinary dreams. A young woman with an endless passion hidden within the deaths of my soul. It was at the age of 9 that I developed love for the Arts during my first ever stage play in Primary School, even though I was not the lead neither did I have a single line and just merely stood on stage as part of the ensemble. I somehow felt the rush and excitement of performing, like electricity passing through my entire body, my soul had found a permanent home. During my high school years my life changed for the worst and I was forced to then make sure the necessary arrangements to suit my now depressing life and quit artistry to focus on my family and financial issues. I was determined to stay at school despite the obstacles. Community members helped me with bus fare, the school helped with uniforms and I Matriculated. After Matric I looked for work endlessly and fell into even more depression for now I was alone squatting with from friend to friend until I came across the Jazzart dancers in one of the piece jobs I would get from time to time and found out more information about their programme, I was accepted my spirit had found a home but my physical situation was still very difficult. I became despondent feeling alone and unsupported. That’s when I met Claire.
I am now a trained dancer, performer and teacher but with all of that I still felt the need for more growth and with the help of Ubunthu Trust enrolled in the Tswane University of Technology. Im in my first year of a 3 year National Diploma in Musical Theatre and have hopes in going further and completing my B Tech degree in Dramatic Arts. I am a dreamer, hard worker and a passionate somebody. All in all, my goal is to be an informed performer and have accepted that my soul will not rest until it gets what it wants. Performing for me is life, it’s my breath, my mode of communication, my healer, my friend, my enemy, my love, my hate, my sunshine, my darkness, my smile, my tears, my calling and my purpose, I am creative I am Katlego.
Katlego has graduated and is now in her 4th year completing her B Tech. We are very short on funds to keep her at University and would greatly appreciate financial contributions to enable a stress free final exam. Katlego is much in need of a Laptop.
The Kalahari youth mostly elect to complete their education in areas which are culturally compatible, out in nature where skies are wide and silence strokes. Master Trackers who have Gun and Drivers licenses are very well qualified to find employment.
At present there are 4 High School Learners in our programme and many more awaiting funding. One of our present High School students is aiming to be the first of the Khomani San KATS to go to University. This is her story.
“For a girl like me to dream is hard. My family struggle to put food on the table, sometimes we feel sad to our very heart. My mother, who managed against all odds to Matriculate has never had the opportunity to more education and work is very scarce in our area. My mother has been my support and has given me the strength to try and believe that I could have a better life. Ubunthu Trust came into our lives when the time came to go to High School and we didn’t know how to manage that even though I got 3 certificates for good work in Grade 7. Now I am in school in Upington where I have a chance to get the results I need to go further. Sadly I cannot study what I wanted to, to be a Public Health Inspector, because I was too far behind to include Mathematics in my subjects. But, I know I will find a career which makes me happy and proud that I am being the person my mother believes I can be.”
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