Our plans at Papillon for 2024.

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Oh yes, 2023 has been a very tough year for so many, and we have also not escaped the setbacks of daily power cuts, and the downward quirks of our troubled economy. Then I also must mention the attacks of the new angry weather systems, with continued floods and wildfires.
I want to show you one of our recent projects titled “Intervention through mentorship”
It started with 50 schoolgirls for mentoring and to show them that there is a better life out there.
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The reason for starting this project was that thousands of schoolgirls fell pregnant during the year, with the result that some, or most drop out of school. They all face a very bleak future, with no fathers of the babies around to help, and what does a 10-year-old mother know about raising her baby?
Something drastically needed to be done, and as usual the NGOs and other non-profits are stepping up to the plate.

The Papillon Foundation board chairlady took the lead, and this “Intervention through mentorship” project was started in June 2023. There are very experienced child workers, community leaders and a host of other professionals engaged in the project, including some church ministers, and a comprehensive and holistic approach to the problem was drawn up and implemented.

This was the latest event before the close of 2023, and I want to show some aspects of the mentoring program.

At first an ice breaker with some games. The freedom of laughter and enjoyment is on show.
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Then it is cool off time and more games.
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And then it is down to the more serious stuff.
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All of the other Papillon long term support projects are still on the go, and I want to take care here that I don't portray us as the best in the world. But we do what we can, with what we have, and it has always been readily accepted in the communities. Reason being that the communities regard it as their own, as some of their leaders were included in the planning of the projects.

I have said this before, and I say it again. One can spend a fortune to implement one's ideas in a community, but if there is no trust and ownership, then it's a total waste.

Now for some more good news.

The girls are now receiving mentorship, but what about the boys? It takes two to tango in order to create a pregnancy, and both sides are in need of mentorship.
So, I am talking to some very experienced men in order to start a schoolboy mentorship with a twist, such as added skills training.
I might have some good news soon in this regard, as it also includes a long-term dream of mine, so let's see what is going to happen.

I hope that you have enjoyed this story.

Photos by Zac Smith- Only the first one, as the others sent to us by a mentorship project head.

Thank you kindly for supporting this post.

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43 comments
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You do a great job, I hope you can continue to grow with this project to help raise awareness to more young people and reduce teenage pregnancies, you are absolutely right no one thinks about boys if they are taken into account in this type of campaign they have more willingness to say no and take care of themselves, and start a family when they are really ready.

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Thank you and you are absolutely correct. As far as the boys are concerned, we need to give them hope by showing them a bigger picture of life. To give them a proper worldview, as only then can they start to have real hopes for their futures. A man without a plan goes nowhere in life, and so we will lay it all out to them, as then they can start to make better decisions in the future.
!BEER

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The work being arranged into communities is exactly what is needed right now with too many teenage pregnancies on the rise.

Hopefully the little support we are able to send goes into more like this with helping the youth find their way.

@tipu curate 2

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Yep! much needed and we are already in the throes of planning for it to be transferred into other communities.

Every little bit counts, and it is much needed for bigger things to start happening. When the time is right of course.

Thank you for the kind tipu Lady Joan.

!PIZZA !LOL !LUV

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Only way to stop crazy domino effect with children is through education which always costs in one way or another.

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Due to this fact, that's why the planning and the quality of the education should be paramount.

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It does take two to tango, and glad you are talking to the boys, they cause damage and then get off scotfree so to speak whilst the girls have their lives ruined.

Happy New Year Zac

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New Year Greetings Ed, and hope that this will be your year of great achievements.

That's exactly the problem, as they are quick to announce the stunning news of the pregnancies, but very little is said about the fathers. By law 10-16 years is classified as rape, but that remains to be thoroughly investigated, so as to prevent these things from happening. Once a scare of prosecution is out there it will be a great help.

Let's see if the work that we plan to do with the boys will deliver any improvements to the current situation.

!BEER

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It is exactly like 2023, which was not easy for our country because the inflation has been so high that it has become difficult for the people living here and everything is expensive and people's salaries are so high. Not that they can buy all the things now, so we just pray here that the coming year will be good for all of us.

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Very difficult these days, and even though we are minimalists, prices continue to spiral for the basic needs. We have the highest unemployment numbers in the world, and at this stage it doesn't look like things will improve rapidly, so yeah, the fight for subsistence remains to be a very real problem.

!WINEX

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Those children are already mothers, it's just so sad! But, thank goodness Papillon is there to try and better their lives. It's great that the boys will also be getting mentorship and learning skills to give them hope for a better future before they start getting entangled in crime.
Wishing everyone at Papillon much success with these new ventures!

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Oh yes, we have seen so many instances where the grannies have to raise the kids. Papillon plays an advisory and supporting role in the projects, as there are people more equipped than us in the mentoring aspect, and there is also one or two church ministers that are doing great work in the project. All experienced women and thus far 84 kids are in the project.

Thus far I have gathered the CEO of a big NPO, a school principal that will take care of the enlisting of the boys for the new project, and a retired guy that is very experienced in mentoring. So, there is now 4 of us to start with, but we will search for a few more qualified souls before we run a pilot project. I love to start things small, as that is always the best way to learn the ropes and to sort out the teething problems.

Thank you for the kind wishes Lady Lizzie.

!PIZZA and !LUV

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Becoming a mother even when planning to do so and having a partner is tough enough, never mind being so young with a father that is not around. This new program along with the other programs that Papillon runs gives those in need, at least a fighting chance.
A program for the boys is a great idea as I feel that most times they are the ones to apply the pressure to these young girls in the first place.
Good luck with these new programs, it sounds like you've got some wonderful people involved in supporting this project.

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Thank you and we can only hope and pray that the youngsters will come to their senses. It is a very tricky situation, as one has to investigate the circumstances of each child in depth, and we are after the best persons with the experience to do this. So far, the project for the girls that the Papillon chairlady runs are progressing very well with her expert volunteer staff, mainly because the project is community owned. They already done 84 girls, who will hopefully become leaders in their own communities, as they have all of the support from the project leaders.
I plan to do the same, and by grace, I already have a few very good souls gathered. If one wants to run a protect, and it is in His will, then the doors will be opened.
Papillon runs a behind the scenes support role, as we are determined that the projects must be community owned, so we supply the funds for the food and drinks at all of the workshops.

!PIZZA !LOL and !LUV

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Having already taken 84 girls under the wings of dedicated people who decided to get involved with this new program is remarkable. The need for this program must be off of the charts.
For these young girls to become community leaders at some point down the road would be a wonderful thing to see.

Community-owned, with Papilloncharity providing the funds, what a winning combination.

I hope you have as much success with the program that will address the young men who are the other half of the equation.

Peace my friend.

We're headed to Florida come the 14th of this month. We will be bringing our laptop with us, so once we get settled in we'll stay in touch.

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Thank you for the great message, and the idea is that once the girls go back into their communities, that they will transfer their skills to other girls.

I avoid the limelight like the plague, as the best is for the team to get on with what they are doing, and we play only a minor role.
The same will apply in the new program for the boys, and it depends solely on the quality and experience of the volunteer souls that will be running to project.

Peace also to you guys.

I thought that you guys were now back from another trip? Florida sounds like a nice place and we of course wish you guys safe travels.

!PIZZA !LOL and !LUV

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Once these girls do return to the community, now you have many others out there trying to lend a hand. There is nothing more convincing than learning from someone who has been there 1st hand.

Marian and yourself always have your heart in the right place, never looking for anything more than to help others.

Finding the people who have the right credentials and whose only motive is to help others may be a tall order, but great things don't just happen by chance they happen with determination and commitment to a cause.

We did just get back from NJ, and now it's time to head to warmer weather. Robin is getting a little touch of Cabin Fever.

Give my regards to Marian and we wish you nothing but continued success with all you have on your plate.

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Oh yes, thank you and for lack of a better word, we like to work from the inside out. Plant the seeds and then they will grow.

We believe that it is the purpose of human life. To help others, and not to seek for glory, as you know who the glory belongs to.

So right, a tall order indeed, but if it's in His will, then the doors will be opened. So, let's see how it goes, and I hope that it will work out similar to the coding project.

Ah, yes, now I remember and now Lady Robin, wants to fly to warmer places !LOL

Marian sends her love and thank you for your kind wishes.

!PIZZA and !LUV

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Your guy's dedication to those in need without having to be in the spotlight is a true testament to the type of folks the both of you are.

One of my favorite lines in Desiderata is, Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence. This single line is one that I have tried to abide by, as life marches on.

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Marian said that she senses a great deal of peace when I read some of our conversations to her, and it's true, as you and your lady exudes that calm peace. That is a great line in the Desiderata to live by, and there is great strength in silence.

So, it is also a great testament about who you guys are, and we are honored to have you guys as true friends.

!PIZZA !LOL and !LUV

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True friends who have never met face to face. Meeting you and Matian would be one of highlights of our lives.

If I would ever get the courage to travel abroad, South Africa would be where I would love to go. Now, Robin is a whole different story, all I would have to do is mention it and she would have the bags packed and the travel arrangements made the same day.

As I get older I find myself open to many things that in the past I would never consider.

ONE NEVER KNOWS!

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Thank you and I assure you that it will also be the highlight of our lives to meet the two of you.

Marian was giggling when I told her about Robin being a totally different story, as she is the same. I also just have to mention the word travel, or even trip to alert all of her senses !LOL

You have been through a lot in your life my friend, and now it's that golden period to allow the Lord's grace to wash over you.

There is One who knows and if it is meant to be, then it will be. If not, then it was not meant to be.
Such is life.

Blessings to all of you.

!PIZZA and !LUV

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