AUSTRALIA UPDATE 2018 YaFT-Xplore Graduation YaFT-Xplore had a wonderful graduation ceremony for students who have just completed the 8 week phase one and two No Limits process. The students shared with the audience what they had learned this year and what the highlights for them were. It was such a special afternoon witnessing how the YaFT-Xplore program had transformed the students into confident and ambitious leaders who are ready to positively influence the people in their world. It was very rewarding seeing how much the participants were impacted by the program. Michael and Tina from 3fold Resources have volunteered their time to mentor the students throughout phases 1&2 over the last year. They both presented the CbL Leadership Awards on the night. The CbL awards were given to two participants who really contributed valuable input and stepped up to the challenges throughout the program.
"It gives me a lot of satisfaction seeing the changes in the students as they progress through the year. Some change only a little but some make huge changes. They become more confident in what they do and say. If I have done, or said, one thing that will help the students make a decision or challenge themselves at some stage in their life ahead then that makes my efforts really worthwhile." Michael Abbot YaFT Volunteer "I have experienced how to deal with teenagers in a good way, to listen and understand their thoughts patiently. It's amazing to see them growing up and developing friendships with other students. Each week they are smiling more, bringing more excitement and happiness every time they come to the sessions. It's a great feeling and such an honour for me to take a part in this program. I’ve also learned a lots from the participants. Being a mum, the improvement in myself will help me with educating & supporting my children in day to day life" Tina Pham YaFT Volunteer
Overnight hike at Mt Erica As part of phase two, participants in the YaFT program went on an overnight hike to Mt Erica. It was a very successful trip with students facing fears of heights, embracing new challenges and supporting each other to reach the top of Mt Erica. Each participant was responsible for leading the group hike both up and down the mountain for a portion of the trip, which encouraged the group to be open to others leading them. The hike created an environment where students felt comfortable to discuss feelings, reflect and share their thoughts as well as asking deep questions. At the top of Mt Erica, students were blindfolded and relied on verbal instructions to reach the ‘magic show’; a stunning view of the outlook on the summit. The participants learned how to trust others and trust themselves on a new level which built a deeper sense of self confidence.
NEWS FROM RWANDA Student Gathering 2018 Our Education Sponsorship Program (ESP) is all about the holistic development of students, empowering them to be effective citizens and having the opportunity to reach their full potential. With these goals in mind, we have just had our first Student Gathering - bringing together ESP students for workshops, sports, social interaction, and learning - a four day gathering where the students stayed together, got to know each other and had the opportunity to be exposed to new experiences. The focus of this first gathering was to share stories about the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, giving our students the chance to learn the history of the genocide, ask questions, and explore how it has impacted them personally as individuals, within their families, and within their communities. This also created the opportunity for students to discover shared experiences with each other. We plan to run a follow up gathering mid next year, to facilitate further mentoring of the students and equipping them with life-skills.
NEWS FROM INDIA Harsh celebrated his 11th birthday earlier this month! Thanks to our generous sponsors, we were able to purchase him a brand new bike. It was a wonderful day of presents, fun, and of course, birthday cake smeared on the face!
Thats it from us at CbL for 2018!
A huge thanks to YOU, our wonderful supporters who made 2018 another successful year. We are so excited for 2019 and look forward to journeying with you as we achieve more ambitious goals and reach new milestones. We wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!
With love,
Team CbL (Karen, Fi, Erin & Ella)
