THE DRUMBEAT - SPECIAL EDITION
Global Camps Africa equips South Africa’s vulnerable youth with the tools and knowledge to lead healthy, empowered lives and make positive impacts on their communities.
Our annual event, One Night for Sizanani, was a huge success — thanks to YOU, our amazing community of supporters!
This past Saturday, April 25, we were joined by more than 160 members of the Global Camps Africa community to celebrate our organization's 23 years of impact.
Because of your generosity, we surpassed our fundraising goal and raised more than $250,000 to support our life skills programs in South Africa. Not only will we be able to run three full sessions of Camp Sizanani and continue delivering year-round biweekly Youth Clubs at 9 locations throughout Johannesburg, but we will also be moving forward with our planned expansion into the Western Cape province of South Africa with a new camp this December. Thousands of young lives will be positively impacted in the year to come, made possible by your steadfast support.
Your belief in our mission fuels everything we do. It is what allows us to create safe, empowering spaces where young people can build confidence, develop critical life skills, and envision brighter futures for themselves. So to everyone who attended, donated, sponsored, volunteered, or cheered us on from afar — thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
To see the highlights from One Night for Sizanani 2026, click here.
Camp Sizanani Immersion Video
In March of this year, GCA Board Member David Gallegos travelled to South Arica to experience our flagship program, Camp Sizanani, for himself. He captured these clips while at camp, where he lived and worked as a full-fledged vochelli (counselor) for the entire session, assisting our staff members with life skills sessions and other activities.
“Through life skills, teamwork, creativity, reflection, and friendship, I saw confidence grow, hope deepen, and new dreams take shape,” writes David about his time at camp. “These young people arrived carrying the weight of their circumstances, but they are leaving with something more powerful: a stronger sense of who they are, what they can become, and the knowledge that they too can overcome.”
David's video was available for viewing at One Night for Sizanani, where guests could put on headphones and be virtually immersed in the energy and impact of Camp Sizanani — and now you can, too! Listen along as our campers reflect on the lessons learned and friendships forged at our most recent session. Through their words, you’ll hear firsthand how the experience of camp shapes their confidence, strengthens their sense of community, and helps them see new possibilities for their future.
Our sincere thanks to David for capturing these moments so authentically, offering a glimpse into what makes Camp Sizanani so impactful. You can read more about David's time in South Africa here.
WESTERN CAPE EXPANSION
As we mentioned, thanks to the success of One Night for Sizanani 2026, we are able to move full-steam ahead with our plan to expand into the Western Cape province of South Africa, launching a whole new camp in December, allowing us to positively impact another 140 vulnerable children and youth with our life skills curriculum.
This expansion would not be possible without the support of the Western Cape provincial government, specifically Minister Jaco Londt, who has served as our point of contact and champion during expansion discussions. In this video, he speaks with Camp Sizanani's Country Director Neo Nkosi about our blossoming partnership and the impact it will have.
The Western Cape session in December will be exclusively for children who are currently living in "Child and Youth Centers," residential facilities that house children who have been removed from their family homes by court order, most often as a result of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. There are more than 43,000 such children in the Western Cape alone, representing a critical need for the province.
We look forward to the opportunity to provide the Camp Sizanani experience to these children, who otherwise wouldn’t have access to the life-skills training, health education, unforgettable fun that they’ll get at camp.
2026 SOUTH AFRICA DONOR TRIP
Global Camps Africa will be hosting a donor trip to South Africa this fall, and we want you to join us! From September 19th through the 29th, you will be fully immersed in South African history and culture. Travel from Cape Town to Johannesburg, with highlights such as Boulders Beach African Penguin Colony, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, multiple wildlife safaris, and a full day of fun at Camp Sizanani, where you will meet our counselors and campers and see our impact firsthand.
If you are interested in learning more about the opportunity or signing up, click here. There are only 20 spots available, and deposits are due by June 30, so don't delay!