How Child Aid Bakenberg changed his life

“I’m Khutso Matlou, a 23-year-old Marulaneng Village resident from Mokopane. During my last year of secondary schooling in 2020, I did not perform well. In 2021, I supplemented, but my results deteriorated. I stayed at home for a long time without doing anything productive because I was stressed and did not have a plan. Seeing my peers advance in life and continue their education at universities and colleges while I remained at home exacerbated the situation. My situation was beyond my comprehension. In the year 2021, a family friend who worked at the Child Aid Bakenberg Project taught me how to deal with life’s challenges by believing in myself and my abilities. He persuaded me to attend one of Child Aid Bakenberg’s HIV/AIDS workshops, which were held under a tree in our neighbourhood. I rallied some of my colleagues and friends, and we all attended the workshop together. The same person who mobilized me in 2021 returned to tell me about the Stepping Stones program at Child Aid Bakenberg, and I agreed to participate. We learned about HIV/ AIDS, gender-based violence, how to protect our loved ones, including ourselves, from violence, and how to advocate against women’s and children’s abuse in our communities through the Stepping Stones program. I was then chosen as one of four project youth to attend a one-year Early Childhood Development (ECD) training at the KwaZulu-Natal Experimental College in Durban. The scholarship was provided by Den Selvejende Institution Faelleseje, which funded the Stepping Stones program. They empowered us through Modern Determination of Methods (DMM) courses and studies, where we learned more about teaching and learning. Our Core Group Teachers empowered us to take charge of our own education and development at college by researching various topics and leading class meetings. We had the opportunity to gain hands on experience teaching children and standing in front of a class for the first time during our preschool practice. The hands-on experience at college allowed me to easily connect with other students, teachers at the community preschool, and children. I met a variety of people who had a positive impact on my life and changed my perspective on life and the world. I enjoyed spending time with children, and they felt at ease in my presence. I gained self-confidence, believed that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to, and became passionate about teaching as a result of the process. “Firstly, I would like to thank Child Aid Bakenberg and the KwaZulu-Natal Experimental College for giving me this opportunity. I am looking forward to returning to my community and sharing my story with my peers to encourage them to never give up hope” says Khotso Matlou