The Impact
Simphiwe
Simphiwe faithfully attends Africa Jam programs. He came from a desperately poor family and encountered many obstables due to his physical disability. Simphiwe applied for a microloan through Africa Jam where he bought a digital camera and started a photography business. Simphiwe is now a local photographer, and has a small business taking ID photos. Tonight Simphiwe and his family have food on the table and a future because people like you believed he could have a promising future. |
Our Programs
Africa Jam's three full-time and one part-time staff members use volunteer and community resources to serve youth through three core programs: Social upliftment, faith enrichment, and arts & education.
Social Upliftment
Africa Jam organizes regular volunteer experiences to help empower young people to improve their community. Leaders are mentored and trained by the Africa Jam staff through retreats, workshops, support materials and programs. Africa Jam's social upliftment programs include:
- HIV/AIDs and Tuberculosis is education and prevention: The Africa Jam team has developed a HIV/AIDs and
Tuberculosis training and presentation in partnership with the Red Cross that incorporates drama, humor and hard-hitting truth. The center of this program is a 25-minute presentation that has been performed for more than 15 school assemblies, grade-level presentations, community festivals and teacher training sessions.
Upon request we incorporate the real-life HIV experience of Thembi Ngubane. To learn more about Thembi and her Aids Diary check out www.radiodiaries.org. - Community service outreach: Africa Jam staff, volunteers and teens participate in projects and programs that make their communities healthier by addressing relevant social topics and by being positive role models in their community. Such programs include Holiday clubs, community service projects (such as a community clean-up) and reaching out to the community during festivals, concerts and open air-events. Africa Jam youth are setting a new standard of role models.
- Mentoring and youth development: Africa Jam trains select youth to be leaders and mentors them. These young people attend leadership workshops, Africa Jam events, leadership and program-specific training. Africa Jam's leaders and mentors become Africa Jam volunteers, camp counselor and small group leaders. They tackle such issues as drug use, sexual activity, gang pressure and more.
- Tutoring: With a 70% high school drop rate, Africa Jam has developed an after school-tutoring program. Staff and volunteers dedicate two hours a week to assist students with homework, help them understand school material and prepare for exams.
- Microloan: Africa Jam youth submit a business plan to the staff. A small loan is made. Selected youth are mentored and held accountable to their business plan. Young people gain confidence in their future and combat the unemployment rate by creating businesses.
Through our social uplfitment initiatives, Africa Jam is committed to developing leaders throughout South Africa.
To be a part of Africa Jam's social upliftment programs or fund these initiatives, contact us.
Faith Enrichment
Africa Jam is committed to providing South African youth with an enduring purpose and faith. Faith enrichment is the cornerstone of the following important Africa Jam initiatives:
- Africa Jam Camp: Africa Jam Camp is the highlight of many young peoples' year providing fun, safe, Christian experiences for hundreds of youth each year. For one week, youth from diverse communities unite for a time of praise, life skills education and fun.
- Spiritual development and Christian fellowship: Africa Jam exposes young people to Gospel in small groups, at after school program and on camps. Africa Jam becomes a positive influence in the lives of the young people and an active part of their schools and communities.
Africa Jam's after-school projects let young people know they are loved unconditionally and they were born for a purpose. Through creative and culturally sensitive approaches, youth learn about the Christian faith and how to develop a Christ-centered identity.
Arts & Education
Africa Jam uses music and fine arts training as a youth development tool and to foster the inherent talents of the young people it serves. It provides regular after-school programs and holiday experiences to provide artistic and educational opportunities as well as valuable life skills education to young people. Through the arts and education program, young people transform their struggle. Africa Jam's arts and education programs include:
- Khayelitsha Youth Center: This Africa Jam group is led by former Africa Jam youth, Loyiso Damoyi. Five days a week, students meet to rehearse creative arts pieces that transform their struggle and gives them voice for change in their community. The building of a Youth Center for the youth in Khayelitsha has been a signature project for 2008.
- Lotus River project: This Africa Jam group staff and volunteers work with small groups inorder to empower them to reach peers, schools and community.
- The Africa Jam Band: Birthed out of the ministry, the Africa Jam band has performed at hundreds of local and international venues and has achieved local acclaim in their own right. The band is a group of professional musicians who have recorded a sampler CD that can be purchased by contacting Quinton Ruiters at quintonpr@yahoo.com. Although most of the original band members have gone on to successful international careers in music, youth they mentored are leading worship at Africa Jam events.