Jane recently attended her matric farewell and was surprised and made to feel special on the day by her principal. She is a 19 year old young woman, raised at our Kempton East satellite house. Her principal mentioned her in his speech when addressing pupils: “I am very proud of Jane because she does not let her past determine her future. For a child that grew up in a children’s home, Jane really shows that children in her situation can make it to the top”.

This speech has boosted Jane’s confidence and has made her realise that she matters; she is important and her dreams are valid. “I couldn’t be more proud of myself. I’ve achieved so much and all this through hard work and dedication. I don’t think I would have made it this far if it wasn’t for the children’s home, the community and all those people who care for me. I got a second chance and grabbed it with both hands”, says Jane.

Jane came from a place where she felt unwanted and unimportant. In the home she found herself amongst equally “broken spirits”. But somehow she and her sisters in the home built one another up until they could believe in themselves and dream about a future. Kind people made it possible for Jane to realise her first dream for her to attend the matric dance.

Jane looked stunning on the night of her matric farewell and says she felt beautiful and couldn’t believe how special she felt.

You can view photos taken of Jane before she left for her farewell here.

Jane recently attended her matric farewell and was surprised and made to feel special on the day by her principal. She is a 19 year old young woman, raised at our Kempton East satellite house. Her principal mentioned her in his speech when addressing pupils: “I am very proud of Jane because she does not let her past determine her future. For a child that grew up in a children’s home, Jane really shows that children in her situation can make it to the top”.

This speech has boosted Jane’s confidence and has made her realise that she matters; she is important and her dreams are valid. “I couldn’t be more proud of myself. I’ve achieved so much and all this through hard work and dedication. I don’t think I would have made it this far if it wasn’t for the children’s home, the community and all those people who care for me. I got a second chance and grabbed it with both hands”, says Jane.

Jane came from a place where she felt unwanted and unimportant. In the home she found herself amongst equally “broken spirits”. But somehow she and her sisters in the home built one another up until they could believe in themselves and dream about a future. Kind people made it possible for Jane to realise her first dream for her to attend the matric dance.

Jane looked stunning on the night of her matric farewell and says she felt beautiful and couldn’t believe how special she felt.

You can view photos taken of Jane before she left for her farewell here.

Ek maak saak

Jane het onlangs ervaar hoe dit sou voel om ‘n feeprinses te wees by ‘n bal. Sy is verras deur die besondere kompliment wat haar skoolhoof vir haar gegee het. Sy is ‘n 19-jarige wat grootgeword het in die Kempton-Oos satelliethuis. In sy toespraak het die skoolhoof gesê, “Ek is baie trots op Jane want sy laat nie toe dat haar verlede haar toekoms bepaal nie. As ‘n kind wat in ‘n kinderhuis grootgeword het, wys sy ander dat dit moontlik is vir jongmense in haar situasie om bo uit te kom.”

Die toespraak het Jane se selfvertroue ‘n hupstoot gegee en het haar laat besef dat sy saak maak; sy is belangrik en haar drome is geldig. “Ek was baie trots op myself. Ek het nogal baie bereik met harde werk en toewyding. Ek dink nie ek sou so ver gekom het as dit nie vir die kinderhuis was nie. Daar is mense in die gemeenskap wat vir my omgee. Ek is ‘n tweede kans gegee en het dit met beide hande aangegryp”, vertel Jane.

Jane kom van ‘n plek waar sy onbelangrik en onwelkom gevoel het. In die kinderhuis het sy haar bevind tussen meisies wie se gees ook gebreek was. Tog kon sy en haar ‘susters’ in die tuiste mekaar opbou tot hulle weer in hulself kon glo en droom oor die toekoms. Mense met groot harte het dit vir Jane moontlik gemaak om haar eerste droom, om die matriekdans by te woon, te verwesenlik.

Jane het assemrowend gelyk op die aand van die matriekafskeid. Sy vertel dat sy pragtig gevoel het en dat sy nie kon glo dat sy so spesiaal kon voel nie.

U kan hier fotos van Jane sien voor sy vertrek het na die matriekafskeid.