The Path Out of Poverty (POP) Programme have been very successfully implemented on the Goedgedacht farm for the last 12 years. The programme on the farm deals with issues of farm worker families, particularly farm worker children on 32 farms in the Riebeeksriver Valley. After 12 years of implementing the programme on farms and seeing the change in the lives of children, we decided to replicate the POP model in rural areas where similar levels of poverty exist. As a result we were very lucky to open the doors of our first POP Youth Centre in a small rural village called Riebeek Kasteel.

This centre has been showing real growth over the last three months with a number of very exciting projects for children from that community. We now have a daily After-school project where about 140 children come to the centre to get assisted with finishing their homework, completing school assignments and where they also get a plate of food. It is also worth mentioning that all the work is being done by 6 highly motivated and dedicated volunteers, who contribute their time and skills without receiving any form of compensation. One of the volunteers remarked two days ago: “I don’t want any money for what I do because I do it for the children of this community and seeing them happy is more than enough compensation”.

One of the community leaders who visited the centre one day said that: “The volunteers are the real hero’s”. I can’t help but agree with him more. The one thing that all people can give, poor or rich, is something of themselves. We therefore are very blessed to have volunteers who are willing to give their time and skills so selflessly.

Please go to our contact section if you are inspired to make a contribution towards the Path Out of Poverty Programme.

Talk to you soon.
Jeremy Maarman (Programme Coordinator)