Earlier that day, the group arrived from Selwane – a village near Phalaborwa – alongside Tracey at Animal Relief in Rural Communities (ARRC). Her work at a local drop-in centre, which provides much-needed meals to vulnerable children, not only brought these girls together, but gave her the idea for this special, girls-only camp. As soon as I saw it in our calendar, I knew it was a golden opportunity to create a unique program together – one that aimed to empower these young women in as many ways as possible over their two nights at Koru.
This camp was all about finding your voice, connecting to your body and asserting your dreams. To get things started, each girl had to choose a power animal to help guide her through the weekend. After scribbling away in their brand-new journals, kindly sponsored by the Timbavati Foundation, we all stood up and, one by one, shared what animal we had chosen and why. Later on, as they sat in a line under the jackal-berry tree at camp, one of the girls let out a gasp of excitement. As if out of nowhere, a male leopard crossed the riverbed right on the other side of our fence, calmly striding through the dry grass, without a care in the world. Things were off to a good start!
In the following days, it only got better. From yoga and positive affirmations to discovering the myriad examples of female empowerment in nature, there was a real sense of sisterhood emanating through the air. Did you know that elephants, spotted hyenas and even birds like white-crested helmet-shrikes live in matriarchal societies? Female village weavers judge and dismantle a male’s nest if it fails to meet their stringent standards, whilst lionesses often engage in allo-suckling – nursing cubs that aren’t her own to strengthen the bond with other females in her pride.
Capitalising on the mood, each girl made a bracelet where the bead colour represented a quality they need to make their dreams come true: green for good health, yellow for happiness, orange for self-confidence, etc… it became their very own recipe for success, carried everywhere they go. And one of the biggest obstacles for this success? Teenage pregnancy. In South Africa, 1 in 7 mothers are teenagers.
Which is where nurse Miyelani and volunteer doctors Ellie and Matt from Tshemba Foundation came in. Covering everything from the basics of the female anatomy and periods to sex education, their engaging talk dispelled myths and provided a safe space for the girls to ask the questions young teenagers are often embarrassed to discuss. That night around the campfire, it was heartening to hear the girls explain what they had learned from the exercise. From debunked myths and the importance of contraception to the most critical question of all: Can girls say no to sex, even if they are in relationship? A resounding yes from everyone around the fire!
On the last morning, after game drive, it was time to reflect and set new goals. Each girl wrote a letter to her future self – to be opened only in 2035 – that included everything they hoped to accomplish in their life. Signed and sealed, there was one final question. What promise are you making to yourself today? Standing in a circle, each girl stepped confidently forward and shared her pledge with the group. Some promised to share everything they had learned with their friends from school. Others said they would wait until they were truly ready to have sex. And many mentioned they were going to work hard in school, go to university and get a job, maybe even at Koru Camp!
Goodie bags in hand filled with pink toiletries donated by ARRC and reusable period pads donated by Timbavati Foundation, the group climbed back into the game viewers, ready to leave and take them back home. As they drove off, their camp flag flying in the wind from the back of the vehicle, their hearts were full of dreams, self-confidence and the sense of power that comes from understanding yourself and your body. A true testament to what we can achieve when we work together. Thank you to ARRC, the Timbavati Foundation and Tshemba Foundation for helping us bring this inspiring and life-changing camp to life!
