20 Years of Impact…And Counting
Global Camps Africa's flagship Camp Sizanani program has empowered close to 11,000 orphans and vulnerable youth, equipping them with crucial knowledge of sexual and reproductive health, boosting their sense of agency, educating them on general health and wellness practices, raising their awareness of the negative impacts of gender-based discrimination and violence, and helping them to develop essential life skills like communication, collaboration, and creativity—all contributing to a more promising outlook for their future.
More than 73,000 South African youth have attended our year-round biweekly Youth Clubs across more than 1,600 sessions. These sessions have reinforced lessons from the camp curriculum and provided crucial services such as HIV counseling and testing, nutritional support, academic tutoring, social support services, and mental health counseling, contributing significantly to the overall well-being and development of these young people over time.
Since its launch in 2014, Global Camps Africa's year-round biweekly community-based program for pre-camp aged children has served 3,040 children (ages 5-11) each year. Before they are old enough to attend Camp Sizanani and Youth Clubs, the young children in the communities served by Global Camps Africa receive developmentally appropriate education and play-based training that results in Increased knowledge of healthy habits, increased sense of self-esteem/self-worth, improved understanding of general health and wellness practices, improved skills in communication, collaboration, and creativity, improved outlook for their future, and increased access to safe and supportive environments and adult role models.
OUR APPROACH
Global Camps Africa's approach to youth development is structured around three main components: Health and Wellness, Empowerment, and Life Skills. This pyramid of development begins with a focus on health and wellness, progresses to empowerment through education and practical skills, and culminates in the cultivation of high-level life skills that support the child's holistic growth and success.
Focus: health and wellness
In addition to camp and youth clubs, twice a year Global Camps Africa’s psychosocial support team organizes a Health and Wellness Drive. There, campers have access to nurses, a dentist, an optometrist, and a sexual and reproductive health expert...opportunities that are often not available to the children from townships and informal settlements around Johannesburg. In 2023, hundreds of children attended the events and received crucial medical education and care.
“On my first day at camp, we attended the Health and Wellness Drive," says Tebaho, a 15-year-old who attended Camp Sizanani in October. "We had a lot of professionals there: the audiologist, the optometrist, and we had the dentist. I enjoyed the dentist most because she helped me fix a few things in my mouth. She taught us how to properly clean our teeth and not neglect our gums. I find the best fruit in the world is knowledge.” Hear more from Tebaho in this video taken after camp...
Focus: EMPOWERMENT
Global Camps Africa’s programmatic approach involves the development of advanced life skills that are crucial for long-term success. These skills include effective communication, self-esteem, agency (the ability to take initiative and drive one’s actions), and leadership skills. These qualities enhance the child’s ability to navigate challenges, interact with others, and thrive in various aspects of their lives into their adulthood.
Shezney is a 13-year-old girl from Eldorado Park, a settlement community south of Johannesburg. She has been attending the Youth Club there, and in October she got her chance to come to Camp Sizanani. When we talked to her after a session of swimming, she told us how much she loved the Sizanani experience.
“I learned new things! I learned a safe way to swim. Also, I learned how I need to be positive thinking and to have high self-esteem.” Shezney went on to say, “It’s been really fun! Thank you very much to the donors who sponsored us. I’m very happy.”
FOCUS: EMPOWERMENT
Global Camps Africa’s first priority is helping children build a healthy foundation from which to grow. Once that baseline is established, our programs shift towards empowerment training. Children are educated and coached in areas such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship, academic achievement, job readiness, and combatting harmful gender norms. This phase aims to equip them with practical skills and knowledge to take control of their lives and make informed decisions.
We recently reconnected with Thando, a 23-year-old young woman who attended Camp Sizanani in 2017. She describes her time with Camp Sizanani as “a self-discovery experience.” At camp, she says, “I discovered who I am; what I’m good at, what I’m not good at.” As a result, Thando decided to pursue an education in marketing and, after a successful internship, graduated from university this year. She credits what she learned at Camp Sizanani for her success, saying, “You gave me an incredible experience. Thank you!”
Focus: HEALTH
Dr. Vangile has served as the chief oral hygienist for the district of Johannesburg for 25 years. Her practice is based in Baragwanath Hospital in Diepsloot, a sprawling settlement community where poor access to health education and services is a major challenge.
“The children aren’t taught how to brush properly, so even though they do brush their teeth, cavities and gum disease are very common,” says Dr. Vangile, “And the food they eat is very high in sugar, because their families cannot afford healthier foods, which also causes dental problems.”
Dr. Vangile volunteered her services at the Health and Wellness Drive at Camp Sizanani in October. She provided oral health education, as well as dental screenings and referrals for follow-up services, to the more than 120 children there. “It was a very great experience, a very full feeling,” she said after the event. “It’s something that I will do even after retirement.”