They shared the harsh realities we might encounter, but the lesson was clear: no matter how challenging it gets, never give up, study hard, and stay true to ourselves.
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When IAWA first began the mission was simple, to show young people that with the right tools they could do anything. We had hopes that the work we were doing way back when, would lead to the type of people that would go into communities and plant the same seeds. In a sense that those we taught to fish would some day teach others
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We talk about our vision to empower young people. How we see a world where they are socially engaged, globally aware, and economically free. But, what do we mean by that, and how do we accomplish this?
Read MoreI Am We Are had the supreme pleasure of awarding the inaugural The Pastor Gaines Memorial Fund which supports faith based youth work in South Africa. Hope4Kasie is a non-profit founded by Pastor Gladys and her husband in hopes of helping the young people of Oukasie, Rustenburg South Africa find hope and light for their future. They felt a deep responsibility to shine their light to ensure that those after them know the way.
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Join us on July 28, 2022, at the Future Africa Campus at the University of Pretoria from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm for I Am Here: UnlockedPotential, a night where BEP alumni will share where they are now in life! We will also share our Impact Report. Get the inside scoop as the alumni recount how your continued IAWA support helped them navigate the twists and turns of life, revealing a future filled with hope and unlocking the limitless potential in us all.
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At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we needed to find a way to keep the connection between our South African youth and our American youth alive. As a result, the Morafe Leadership Programme was created. The Morafe Leadership Programme is a virtual, peer-to-peer initiative designed to bring together our youth from the Royal Bafokeng Nation (RBN) in South Africa and our youth from Prince George’s County, Maryland, USA. Together, the youth learn to build life skills, leadership abilities, and strong cross-cultural ties to support each other’s dreams and ambitions.
Read MoreIAWA is fueled by the kindness of our donors and the solid support of our partners. Thanks to the generosity of several key partners, we can provide unique opportunities for our youth. This post is dedicated to 5 recent partnerships we can’t stop smiling about.
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As a Youth Facilitator, my community of fellow facilitators, our ever-patient members of the Nia circle and the joy of my Ambassadors lit my path. This was a year of light for me especially since it helped cement for me that youth development and spaces for young people are where I am supposed to be. Because the light of I Am, We Are exists, I was able to find my way.
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Last year we launched a new program, the Morafe Leadership Development Programme, and welcomed a new cohort of Ambassadors. From both the United States, Prince George’s County; Maryland and North West; South Africa. This was the first time where we had students from both countries in the program not just in parallel but together. It was certainly a new learning curve having to run a fully virtual programme and training of the Youth Facilitators and we added to the community while learning new things in spite of and because of the pandemic.
Read MoreWe’ve had some new additions and some heartfelt farewells in our community at the top of this year. Find out who are our newest community members, meet our newest Directors Circle members, and learn about our new Impact Assessment Team.
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The time for our next art auction is drawing near, and we would like to take a moment to reflect on the tremendous achievements we made at our previous auction. Our 5th Annual Benefit Fundraiser ‘I Am Here,’ which took place last year on December 5, 2020, as a virtual celebration honoring our collective resilience. This bi-continental virtual interactive reception and art auction was an opportunity for donors and supporters to engage with the beneficiaries of IAWA’s flagship program while experiencing South African culture. Thanks to everyone’s support, it was also our most successful fundraiser ever as we raised $15,000 more than the previous year!
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It's that time of year again, when we host our annual reception and auction. This year the virtual celebration will bring us together to collectively Let Our Light Shine!
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In honor of Giving Tuesday, taking place on Tuesday, November 30th this year, we are launching our Monthly Giving program, the Ubuntu Circle. One translation for I Am, We Are’s guiding philosophy, ubuntu, is interconnectedness. The Ubuntu Circle recognizes our need for communal support to empower our youth or as the African proverb states, “it takes a village to raise a child.” Ubuntu Circle members join us in investing in our youth by pledging support for as little as $15 per month.
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Recently, we hosted gatherings in the US and South Africa to support our parents, celebrate all we have achieved, and elicit feedback. The first event was a parent’s workshop on “How to Strengthen the Parent-Child Relationship.” On the other side of the world, it was all round happiness when our USA community, which included ambassadors, parents, facilitators and board members, also gathered for Sunday Brunch. On 6 November 2021, the South African community came together again for a special lunch for all community members to reflect on the year’s accomplishments and preview next year’s exciting programming opportunities.
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I Am, We Are (IAWA) was inspired by the philosophy of ubuntu (oo-boon-too, n.), a South African phrase meaning "humanity" or "I am because we are." The term is derived from the phrase umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, which translates as, "a person is a person through other people."
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IAWA partnered with LearnServe International to bring their 2021 Global Summer Fellowship to South Africa. Over five weeks, IAWA Alumni and students from Kitsong School and Mmanape High School, engaged virtually with youth from the Washington, DC area of the United States and Zambia. The social entrepreneurship program culminated in a final pitch competition where one venture from each country could win a seed grant of $100 to help launch the venture. The IAWA winner was Amogelan Moatshe whose venture addressed access to vaccinations for rural populations in his community.
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Our Alumni Ambassadors had the opportunity to put IAWA's principle of social responsibility into practice by attending a Special Olympics South Africa (SOSA) Young Athletes Coaches training at Temogo Special School in the North West Province of South Africa. Three of IAWA’s Alumni Ambassadors, Otshepeng, Petronella and Tshwetso, had the opportunity to learn and interact with Special Olympic Athletes at the Young Athletes transitioning training and mini basketball practical session that took place in August.
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This summer our Founder and Chief Executive of Hope, Meisha Lerato Robinson, was excited to finally be able to visit our Alumni Ambassadors in South Africa after more than a year away! Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, travel had been limited since early 2020, so when Meisha had the opportunity to travel to South Africa once again, she jumped at the opportunity.
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This July, I Am, We Are (IAWA) launched a new, cross-cultural, immersive virtual experience for youth in South Africa and the US. The Morafe Leadership Development Program is an abbreviated version of IAWA’s core curriculum, and the program focuses on developing life skills, leadership abilities, and strong cross-cultural relationships to help young students achieve their goals and become global leaders.
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The Nia Circle manages our day-to-day operations, and our newest members include youth development experts, trainers, social workers, and communications professionals. These new members are supporting our recently launched Morafe Leadership Development Program and helping us share the inspiring stories of the young people participating in the program.
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