OUDTSHOORN - A glimmer of light has appeared at the end of the tunnel for boys who are at risk of social challenges such as substance abuse, juvenile crime and gangsterism.

The Youth Focus Project, initiated by FAMSA Karoo focuses on youth at risk. The first phase of the project, an initiative of Fanzu Badenhorst regional director of FAMSA Karoo, was a very successful youth camp which was presented last week to 41 boys at Schoemanspoort.

Boys between the ages of 14 and 17 from the Triomf Youth and Child Care Centre, Aurial College and Bridgton Secondary School were invited to the camp. According to Badenhorst the main objectives of this project are to promote awareness and prevention through life-skills training, to facilitate educational and recreational activities to enhance learning processes and to promote access to services pertaining to youth development.

The boys had a busy weekend with activities which included navigating an obstacle course where they had to work as teams, lively games, problem solving, discussions on responsible decision making, a talent evening and motivational talks. To Badenhorst the outcomes of camps such as these are important as participants are equipped with life skills to assist them in reaching their potential, leadership and responsibility as well as integrity is developed, an awareness of the availability of youth development services is created and the boys internalise knowledge and skills which they can apply in the future.

FAMSA wishes to thank the following organisations and individuals for their contributions:

• Department of Community Safety – funding provided;
• Department of Culture and Sport – availing the Schoemanspoort Camping Facility for free;
• South African Police Service (SAPS) – providing transport and for informative talks by Capt. W Coerecius, the K9 Attakwa Dog Unit, the Section for Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences;
• Department of Social Development (DSD) – informative talks and games;
• Bridgton Senior Secondary School and Aurial College;
• Triomf Child and Youth Care Centre – providing transport, and their boys and child care workers who participated;
• Trinity Training – co-facilitation of pre-camping sessions and the life-skills training camp.
• Morné Pietersen of Eden FM.

The Youth Focus Project is an ongoing project which will include parenting skills, various visits to police units, prisons and magistrates courts, continued life-skills education and a project to obtain swimming wear and much needed underwear for boys at the Triomf Centre. Famsa is also in the process of establishing a well-managed drop-off centre to assist with finding solutions to the ongoing problem of street children.

The Oudtshoorn Courant, as part of its community involvement, is dedicating one full page per month to give coverage to the Youth Focus Project and related issues which involve youth at risk.


A game of touch rugby at the youth camp gave the boys time to get to know one another. Photo's: Franzu Badenhorst.