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 The photo above is a reminder that, while the plans for growth and development of camp are important and exciting, we are all about the children we serve. They remain terribly needy, vibrant and vivacious, spirited, warm, talented and appreciative. They are like sponges as they absorb the information we provide. There are new revelations at each camp as we work toward making the camp program and the after camp Kids Club program more effective.
The camp program is constantly being stretched. Michelle Schorn, my South African counterpart, is doing all the day to day work of camp. Rather than relaxing as she gets the many systems in place that are needed for a camp that has 6 sessions a year with 135 new campers at each camp, she is constantly challenging our staff and the program's structure with new ideas. We tried a 7-period day in order to cram in more activities for the children (and realized that it was too much). She asked Thulani, the very talented head of Drama to adapt "Julius Caesar," being studied by one grade in the public school curriculum next year, and place it in a Soweto setting, rather than in Rome. It was performed by the older four (of nine) groups, each group performing a different act with a different cast. It was a great success and we can't wait to hear how the campers like Shakespeare's version.
The Kids Clubs are expanding. One club, initially at HIVSA, was moved to a neighborhood school. Michelle then expanded to two more locations. By the end of the year there will be six clubs in operation, plus a home garden program where we will provide children with seedlings in order to encourage them to achieve a measure of self-sufficiency in food production. The counselors monitor the gardens, which just started in September.
I just returned from the International Camping Congress in Mexico City where I spoke to a session and spread the WorldCamps word a little further. I have been asked to be a speaker at the closing luncheon of the Ontario Camping Association Conference in Toronto in February. It is gratifying that people want to learn more about us and to contribute willingly and eagerly.
At our 10th camp in September, there were six American volunteers, Jane Henley, Edie Middleton, Barbara Friend, Jenny Abramson, Kelsey Barrett, and Shannon Small. Jane is a family therapist in Sun Valley, Idaho; Edie is former owner/director of Camp Waukela in New Hampshire, Barbara is former dean of admissions at Sarah Lawrence and Bennington and associate dean at Amherst; Jenny has extensive camp experience for one so young and was a counselor at Barretstown, Ireland, and John Marc, both special needs camps, and at Camp Friendship in Virginia. Kelsey was a camper and counselor at Camp Hawthorne in Maine. Shannon is a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa and was at Concordia Language Camps in Minnesota. They were an all-star group!
The 137 girls were the most enthusiastic and spirited we have ever had. They arrived at 4:30 pm on September 23 and by dinner time, two hours later, each of the nine cabins came to dinner smiling, dancing and singing. This continued for most of the camp session. It shouldn't surprise me any more, but the positive attitudes of the children are part of their uncomplaining approach to life. They don't dwell on what they are lacking, but concentrate on what they have available.
One innovation at the September camp was to assign two experienced counselors just to observe and take notes of the campers' experiences and to note the effect camp was having on them. Pro and Portia made extensive notes, a few of which are summarized below mainly from the first few days:
The girls were excited and energetic. They were happy because it was their first time being at a camp. They love being able to wash themselves in bathrooms and have showers. Where they live they don't have them. Ten of 14 campers said they were also excited because they get their own bed. They made friends very quickly.They were looking forward to the first full day of camp when they would get to swim.
Story Telling was introduced as an activity. In the group of 29 only one camper could explain what story telling was. The others either did not know or could not put it into words. They were good at playing and singing as an ice breaker.
At swimming on the first full day, the girls in the youngest two cabins could not wait to get in the water, but when it came time to go in, they were scared. 8 were looking forward to swimming and said it's scary but fun.One camper said it was a dream come true. In the second youngest cabin, one girl of 15 knew how to swim and encouraged the others not to be scared. One camper screamed and said she could swim and it was a miracle.
In Sports, the counselors got them inculcated with the notion of team spirit from the start. They played net ball, the most popular girls game -- a version of basketball. One camper gave an example: in net ball you control the ball, so every camper should control her life and make choices for herself.
In Life Skills, the first day they addressed camper expectations of the course. The campers were shy and afraid to open up. They said they were not used to talking about issues like sexuality, adolescence, their body, and HIV/AIDS with their parents or other grown ups. One of the campers said a poem about taking care of her body. It was beautiful.
In Arts and Crafts, the campers were concentrating hard. They loved coloring, cutting and drawing. For many of them, that's how they express their feelings. Some helped others carrying forward the teamwork they had learned earlier in Sports. They were very quiet at A&C and did not want any disturbance to their concentration.
At Permaculture, the campers demonstrated a lot of knowledge about plants, the importance of water and nature generally.
The second day:
In Sports, one camper said that she loved the aerobics warm-up because it helped take care of her body.
In Story Telling, they were great when it came to acting out their stories. They showed cooperation, teamwork and talent.
At A&C the 12 year olds said they liked it because they get to show their feelings about things they love. They made collages from magazines. They showed a lot of teamwork and communicated well among themselves. They helped friends decorate the cards they were all making.
In Swimming, the campers showed immediate and marked improvement. Most could float on their own and felt safe when the counselors were in the water with them. The campers were extending the concept to know they are not alone in life when difficulty hits. There will be someone to help them. They just have to find out who they are and where to go to find them.
Swimming continued to be a star activity. The children felt comfortable. (The counselors, 4 out of 5 of them Americans, but only one with swim instruction experience, were patient, warm and reassuring; my comment.) By day 7, the campers were comfortable in the water and were doing different swimming strokes. It was fun to watch them. The counselors have done a great job.
In Adventure the campers said that the lesson was about the need to listen to others and to concentrate. Education is not only in school, but when you are having fun. The comment was that Adventure is great in terms of educating and building up children to become leaders and to better understand about interpersonal skills.
In Theater, Arts and Crafts, and Permaculture, the story of note seemed to be that the counselors started off slowly in not working together well. They got better quickly after one or two meetings to handle how things should operate.
In Life Skills, the subject was about adolescence and their bodies. The campers were very interested in menstruation and open to discussion, a big improvement over the first day.
When they discussed sex, the campers were very knowledgeable, particularly the older ones. The staff said they learned things from the campers.
At Life Skills, over time, they have a lot of campers disclosing information when the class was covering abuse.
A 12 year old bed wetter has nightmares and calls out her brother's name in fear. She was screaming, "Please don't touch me. Please don't kiss me." She is very shy during the days and especially when she and her cabin are doing their Life Skills homework.
A ten year old says she is being physically abused by her mother who beats her with an electric wire. The mother prevents her from going to school and threatens the girl, saying "I will kill you." She is also bullied by a girl from her neighborhood who is also at camp.
A 12 year old shared a story in Life Skills that an older man in her area said he wanted her, then chased her, caught her, but she managed to escape. The observer thought there was more to the story. The same camper shared another story of her 17 year old sister who lives at home, but gave instructions not to lock the door. When she returns home late at night, she has money. The camper seemed to want to say more but couldn't get it out.
Another 12 year old shared that her 16 year old sister sleeps with an older man who is a neighbor. The reason: to get money. The camper wanted to say more, but tears welled up and she didn't.
Others:
a girl who was badly beaten by her mother.
a girl was raped by a man living on her street.
a girl raped by her cousin.
a girl whose parents were both killed in front of her when she was five years old has gotten no counseling to date.
It was decided that we would refer these cases to a social worker for further action and that, starting with the next camp, we would have a social worker at camp during the last two days to deal with the problems children were allowing to be brought up. This would also provide a head start in referring their cases properly. We don't think there was anything different about the girls at camp this time; they just allowed more "stuff" to surface.
We have had more visitors than ever, including Reston friend (and former Ethiopia Peace Corps Volunteer) Steve Cristofar. We are definitely more noticed in South Africa and in the international world of groups fighting AIDS. One woman, Coralie, had been a camp counselor in the US and wants to start a special needs camp, particularly for children with cerebral palsy. It is constantly revalidating to have such interest.
Thanks for your support as we gain a foothold and then keep climbing up. We need it no less now; we have loftier goals as we find ourselves in demand in other provinces of South Africa and other countries. We will have naming opportunities for the facility once we build. I will keep you advised. In the meantime, thanks so much for all you have done to make this venture possible. Meeting up to 150 children every two months makes me realize how important this work is at a very basic and personal level. For each child camp is a revelation as to what life can offer.
One constant and largely unmet need is to provide the 75-100 campers who do not have proper footwear for hikes and sports with new or gently used sneakers. If you have access to some children's sneakers, we can use them. Send them to me at the address below.
A last request: if you know someone who has some contacts in the foundation area that we are in--Africa, children, AIDS--and would be interested in a part-time job doing some research and helping us write grant proposals, we would be interested in talking. While proximity to Washington, DC, would be preferable, it is not necessary. We are doing pretty well on our own, but the training of staff has gone so well and the interest in having us expand is so great, that we would be doing a disservice not to ramp up our fundraising and ability to open new camps as quickly as possible.
Some people like to see what their contribution will achieve:
$1,000 will send a child to camp, enable the camper to attend Kids Clubs for a year, and pay for the needed supplies for a cabin (15 campers) at camp. (We send you a camp tee-shirt and letter from a camper. Categories below the $500 level get a letter from a camper.)
$500 will send a child to camp and enable the camper to attend Kids Clubs for a year.
$250 will buy needed arts and crafts supplies for one camp.
$100 will purchase shoes for a cabin.
$50 will pay for tee-shirts for a cabin.
Please remember us in your year-end giving.
Thanks!
Phil
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