South Lakes High School Choirs Sing for Sizanani
By Phil Lilienthal
On Tuesday, October 22 at South Lakes HS in Reston, Zoe Geyman, one of GCA's summer interns, put together an evening whereby 4 musical groups at the high school sang two songs each, including one African song, and then came together with all 4 groups singing together.
Many thanks to Zoe and to the wonderfully talented singers of South Lakes High School, as well as to their lovely director, Rita, and the many parents and friends who supported GCA through their participation.
Radiant Child Yoga and GCA Partner to Provide Unique Training in South Africa
By Guest Blogger Lisa Brodrick
My name is Lisa Brodrick and I am a Radiant Child Yoga teacher-trainer. I was asked by RCY Founder, Shakta Khalsa, to travel to South Africa this November to teach Radiant Child Yoga Levels 1-3 to caregivers, teachers, parents, and everyone who can benefit children.
My trip is being made possible by a unique partnership between Radiant Child Yoga (www.childrensyoga.com) and Global Camps Africa (www.globalcampsafrica.org).
Thirty-five Global Camps counselors, who are young local volunteers, will take the Radiant Child Yoga teacher training. The counselors will bring Radiant Child Yoga to hundreds of children who visit the camps each year. The children come to the camps, and then stay connected to the Camp spirit by going to "clubs" when they return home.
Together may we spread joy, safety, and strength to all the beautiful children of South Africa!
For more information about this unique collaboration between Radiant Child Yoga and Global Camps Africa, please watch this video.
Here’s How You Can Help...
If you are interested in attending or finding out more about the Radiant Child Yoga teacher training in South Africa, please click here! or email Lisa at lisa@childrensyoga.com.
If you would like to be a sponsor at the fundraising event planned for October 12th in Asbury Park, click here!
If you would like to donate to support this project but can't participate in the event in Asbury Park, please click here!
Mosaic Harmony to Perform for Global Camps Africa
Global Camps Africa invites the community to join them for an evening of music and a chance to meet some of the people of Camp Sizanani, GCA’s residential camp for HIV/AIDS affected children in South Africa on Thursday, Sept. 5. The evening will begin at 7:30 p.m. with a concert by Mosaic Harmony, a multicultural, interfaith community choir of the metropolitan Washington area that draws on the rich heritage of African-American inspirational music to demonstrate and encourage unity in the midst of diversity. The choir represents more than 17 faith traditions and performs everything from traditional spirituals to new songs composed by its director, David North.
Event Details
What: Mosaic Harmony Concert for Global Camps Africa
When: Thursday, Sept. 5
Where: St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 1700 Wainwright Drive, Reston
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $25
Website: www.globalcampsafrica.org
Information & reservations: 703-437-0808
Special guests for the evening will be two visiting counselors from Camp Sizanani in South Africa who will share songs and stories from their experiences working with HIV/AIDS affected children and youth. After the concert, guests will have a chance to meet and talk with the visiting South African counselors.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.globalcampsafrica.org/shop or call 703-437-0808 for reservations & information.
The mission of Global Camps Africa, which is headquartered in Reston, is to change the lives of South Africa’s vulnerable children and youth by providing HIV/AIDS prevention education and training through high-impact residential and day camp experiences and continuing education. Global Camps Africa aims to equip young people with the life skills that will support them in becoming safe and productive adults who have hope for the future. At Camp Sizani, empowering lessons of a healthy life and smart choices are woven into every aspect and activity of camp. Children ages 11-19 enjoy eight days of camp, free of charge, where HIV education and life skills training are incorporated into a curriculum of targeted classes and recreational activities such as sports, games, art, drama, poetry & music. The goal is that every camper will receive the knowledge and skills that will empower him or her to look forward to a healthy and productive adult life.
After camp, the children attend Saturday Youth Clubs that meet twice a month near their homes. There, the lessons of camp are reinforced and the campers continue to receive the support of staff and peers.
5K Run and Pancake Breakfast: Two Great Ways to Help GCA
From a recent article in the Asbury Park Sun:
TOAST TO SPONSOR A CHARITY 5K RACE THIS FALL
PROCEEDS BENEFIT GLOBAL CAMPS AFRICA AND THE MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION
By Jill Bartlett
Get ready to lace up your running shoes, Asbury Park.
Toast restaurant will host a charity 5k run/walk in the city this fall that will end with a pancake breakfast after-party in Kennedy Park.
The race, which takes place Saturday, Oct. 12, will raise funds to benefit Global Camps Africa and the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Restaurant owners Amy Russo and Chris Hartsgrove chose the Micheal J. Fox foundations because they both have grandparents that suffered from Parkinson’s disease.
“Parkinson’s is one of those diseases that is hereditary,” said Russo, which fueled their decision to choose the Michael J. Fox Foundation as a benefactor, since the foundation is dedicated finding a cure.
Global Camps Africa provides youth in Africa with HIV/AIDS prevention education and training through overnight and day camp experiences. The camps seek to provide the at-risk youth population in Africa with life skills education and support to encourage and promote safe adult lives, according to their website.
The funds raised for Global Camps Africa will sponsor a trip for Lisa Brodrick, a yoga instructor and 13-year Asbury Park school teacher, to travel to Global Camps Africa’s Camp Sizanani in South Africa. There, she will provide Radiant Child Yoga teacher training to the camp counselors. Radiant Child Yoga is an international program that provides yoga instructors with ways to teach children yoga and work with them to be more conscious of their inner selves, according to their website.
“She has a huge opportunity to go and teach,” said Russo. “If I could take a month out of my life to travel to Africa for a month to help kids, I would do it.”
“It’s all about holding a space,” said Brodrick. “The children are our future. They are big souls in little bodies. What we teach them connects them back with their truth and their light within themselves so that they can live to their highest potential.”
“It’s that mind-spirit connection,” she said. “There is nothing more important than that.”
Russo hopes to make the run an annual event, and may switch the charities that benefit from year to year.
Registration details have yet to be finalized, but will be available on the Toast 5k website soon. Participants will be able to register on the website, or in-person at Toast.
The race route will be the same U.S. Track and Field certified double-loop course as the Asbury Park 5k, which begins and ends in Bradley Park opposite Convention Hall at the corner of Sunset and Ocean avenues. All participants will be invited back to Kennedy Park for a pancake breakfast after-party after their completion of the race.
Toast is located at 516 Cookman Ave. in Asbury Park.
For more information about Global Camps Africa, visit their website, or contact Lisa Brodrick at lbrodrick@gmail.com. For more information about the Michael J. Fox Foundation, visit their website.
South African Counselors at American Camps!
This summer, 9 of Camp Sizanani's South African counselors are experiencing camp in a new way...working as counselors at US camps around the country! Here, we have profiled 3 of our visiting counselors: Kgotso, Bongani, and Elliot. Each has had an exceptional learning experience and is eager to take his new knowledge and skills back to Camp Sizanani.
Elliot with co-counselors at Greenwood Trails
Elliot Mtimkulu is in his second summer as a camp counselor at a US summer camp. Last year he attended Kenwood-Evergreen. This year he is at Greenwood Trails.
He has loved both camps and, like all the counselors, has switched camps to "broaden myself and provide me with a greater education about camps and children."
Last year he taught arts and crafts, his specialty at Camp Sizanani; this year, he is a cabin counselor and divides his time among the ropes course, crafts, and dancing. He is very popular among the staff and campers.
The photo is with his two co-counselors, both swim counselors, one from the UK, the other from the US.
Elliot especially likes the broad diversity and international flavor at camp. Elliot's first camp session at Camp Sizanani was in 2007.
Bongani with campers at O-at-ka
This is Bongani Shabangu's first year at a US camp, although he was first a counselor at Camp Sizanani in 2006.
He is at Camp O-at-ka, a camp in southern Maine. He is a cabin counselor for the older boys and is involved in a variety of activities.
He says, "the people at camp are so welcoming. I felt at home right away. The campers and, especially, the counselors ask me how I am and what they can do for me. I love the food, the people, and am grateful to be here."
The campers swarmed to him as they returned from a day at the beach.
Kgotso with younger campers at Kenwood-Evergreen
It is Kgotso Mathebula's first experience abroad and he is a counselor at Camp Kenwood-Evergreen, in New Hampshire.
He is a counselor of the oldest boys. His nickname at camp is "KG."
He has been learning rap with one of the American counselors and has developed a bit of an American accent!
Kgotso has found that it helped to be cautious at the beginning and observe the culture of camp and the participants.
He loves camp and has found the campers to be particularly supportive when he is alone. They come over to ask if everything is all right. The boys in his cabin "wish you were here before."
The counselors, too, have been nice and inclusive, both at camp and on days off, when he is always asked to accompany them.
Kgotso sees his view of the world having expanded enormously. At the same time, he, like the others, is writing down all the new games and ideas he is getting from camp so he can bring them back to Camp Sizanani.