In May 2010 Jo Mthembu took 20 learners to take part in a leadership camp at Shogweni Dam. There these future leaders took on uncomfortable activities like rock climbing (very scary but the guys faced their fear and completed the challenge!) They also learnt about working as a team as they were given the task of making a raft using poles, drums and ropes. Watching them work together, Jo was impressed to see how far the kids have come over the three years that he has been working with them: “iThemba Lethu learners will never be the same again!” he says. “These guys respect each other so much and I can see some of them starting to make right choices It is my greatest wish and hope that these learners will grow up fearing God.”

Anderson from Brazil joined the program earlier this year to assist the boys with soccer training as well as helping out in class. The boys were so happy to have a ‘professional’ coach. He also organized a match against one of the private schools in Hillcrest which the Botha’s Hill boys were proud to win. Anderson’s coaching clearly paid off!

Jo continues to do one-on-one meetings as well as the regular LO lessons that he and Nothile teach (Jo with the Grade 7s and Nothi with the Grade 5s. “We normally use break time and after school, this is where we speak deeply with the learners about the issues they are facing at home and try to help if possible or we speak to the teachers if the issue is beyond our powers. One of the parents called me to say that she is really happy that her son has a father figure to look up to now and she wanted to thank me for being there for her son. We try to give these learners equal opportunity to speak to us one on one, asking them if they need prayer. There are three learners that have left school because of family issues but we also have a few new learners who have joined us this year and when I asked them why they had left their previous schools, they told me that their parents had heard that the iThemba Lethu programme was working in Botha’s Hill Primary. We are so happy to hear that parents are supporting iThemba Lethu out there.”

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WHAT IS ITHEMBA LETHU?

iThemba Lethu was launched in 2008 as a school-based outreach modeled on the programme developed and accredited by Glenridge Church in Durban. Jo and Nothile Mthembu have been acting as support teachers taking the Life Orientation lessons and presenting a structured programme which teaches the children Christian values, self-respect, self-esteem and how to make good life choices, all of which are crucial in protecting them from adopting risk-taking behaviours. The program has been proven to be one of the most effective interventions in the fight against the transmission of HIV-AIDS in vulnerable communities. But Jo and Nothi are more than teachers – remaining with one group of children throughout their late Primary/first phase High School career, they build lasting relationships and get involved in youth clubs, individual counseling, leadership training and family support.

Jo says “We have been working together with these same learners from grade 5 (2008) and 2010 has been one of the most exciting years since it’s our last year together in Botha’s Primary school. Our first year was the most challenging one since the learners didn’t have any idea of what we were about but from last year (2009) things started to change. They started to be more open to us about issues they are facing at school, community and home. This year is much easier since we are all friends and respect another.

The iThemba Lethu curriculum has been focusing on character building and this year we want to help learners understand the values that help us reach our destiny. We help them to understand what forgiveness is and teach them to walk in it; give them the opportunity to make personal decisions about values and put them into practice by looking at real-life situations; we help them practice what it feels like to stand firm in their values, even when they are tempted to go against them; help them understand that the person who they are on the inside is way more important than what they look like on the outside. We believe that learners can become agents of change in the circle of influence within their homes; we help the learners deepen the root values in their life so they can stand strong when opposition comes; we help the learners identify and understand the different types of authority in their life to help them make good choices; we give them a handle on how to withstand peer pressure by asking ‘who does God say I am?’ We help the learners see the risks and consequences of various decisions involving in becoming sexually active before marriage.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

There are many ways in which the greater community can help Jo and Nothi and the Children of Botha’s Hill Primary, both as individuals and through group projects.

At the beginning of the year, a Hillside homegroup made and filled stationery bags to help the learners get off to a good start.

In March Little Heroes Pre-School donated Easter Eggs for the whole school. It gave the team an opportunity to share about Jesus first and the children were excited to receive their Easter eggs.

The Leadership camp was made possible by generous sponsorship from individuals and companies. Jo and Nothi are planning a Holiday Club at the end of this year which will also be a farewell for the Grade 7s leaving Botha’s Hill Primary. Jo needs increased sponsorship to enable him to accompany the kids into the High School programme. Nothi continues with her children into Grade 6, but a new teacher is needed to start the programme again with the new group of Grade 5s in 2011.

Individuals and companies may help with:

• Sponsorship of the teachers’ salaries
• Sponsorship of vehicle, petrol and stationery to run the programme
• Donations for the holiday club • Volunteers to help run the holiday club
• Prayer

Jo: “We would like people to pray for us and pray for these kids that the enemy won’t come and steal the seeds that we are planting; may the seeds grow in them so that one day they will be leaders and proud of the decisions they have made.

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