The street children festival
The intentions of this is to restore back the dignity of these kids by giving them
a special treat that sends a message to them saying that they are worth far more
than what the streets dictate as their worth, and certainly more than what the
people think, especially those who turn a blind eye to their plight.
The second intention is to appreciate the ability these children have of bringing together
different limbs of our society by recognizing the degradation of our morals as
a people, regardless of our social, religious, political or professional
disposition. These children are offering to us an opportunity to begin
addressing the problems we face as Native human beings and give rise to solutions
that we as human natives will relate to. (A Human problem solved with a human
solution)
I know you are not a stranger to Native human sentiment and point of view. As a reminder,you
know that in our Human tradition, a child living in the streets, with no adult or family or body
to care for them is unheard of. This is a foreign way of living and not the
human native way of being responsible of the future. When there’s problems at home children run to the neighbors,
uncles, aunts granny’s etc. not to the streets. This is a sure sign of the
degradation of the thread of Ubuntu, which inspire us and bring to the surface and from
within us, qualities of nobility, courage and honor.
By neglecting this very essential ingredient in our lives as a civilized people, we have been
stripped off all the wonderful qualities worth cherishing in life and look at us
today! Who is honorable amongst us today? Who has the courage to stand up and
tell others that, I would rather be confined to poverty if going after riches
will strip me of Ubuntu, who has that courage today? Who has the courage of
taking desperate child from the street and raise that child like its own who
has that courage? Only a few souls do that! However, don’t we have enough reason and
power to be able to do that for our children and our humanity as a whole?
These problems will always haunt us, and the solutions will always be in front of our
very eyes, but what will bind us to the real solutions is the thread of genuine
Ubuntu, nothing less than that. Therefore these children are offering us a good
reason for you others and I to come together and pave a way forward, ensuring
that this main ingredient of a prosperous society is restored back to our living society.
Motivation.
These children are our own children that we´ve marginalized for fear of acceptingtheir uniqueness. They are a minority and just like the marginalized minority communities and people the world needs to grant them space and understanding. We are all minority as
individuals with specific purposes and roles.
A civilized society is measured by the way it treats and cares for it´s children,
but unfortunately our present civilization is not child friendly. It tells us of how
our future is blur with uncertainty.
-They are a reflection of our own decaying morals in the society, where parents do
not have time with their children. They do not have parents like you and i had,
taking responsibility of parenthood and even having that time to correct and guard
us. The family today is a dangerous and a fear full institution that is evident in
the many divorces that we experience on daily basis.
-The children on the street have not been fearful of taking that step out of the
comfort wheel. They have decided that better they face the unknown, than stay in a
place where they are not happy and are not pleased. They better sleep on the streets
and face the dangers rather than staying in the comfort of abuse and unhappiness in
their homes.
-These children have a will power of survival and attaining their vision which only
needs to be redirected in a direction that they can understand and take
responsibility. They have already started on a self understanding journey, where
they depend on their 100% to make it through the life on the streets.
-You will agree with me that just like all of us, the children on the streets have a
negative side to them which, fortunately we know and are aware of. That makes it
possible for us to work with them as we already know the side that we don´t like and
it would be easier to bring out the best in them that we don´t know. We don´t know
each others negative as most of the people in our society put on social masks and
that is why we have these children on the streets.
- As i walk, these children have been a source of support and inspiration at many
times, especially in the cities where people live under fear and suspicion most of
the times. Despite the fact that they do not have what the main stream believes is
enough, these kids have offered me places to sleep that are more comfortable than
the otherwise at that given moment that no one cared to.
They´ve fed me with a lot of information that i would love to give back to them with
love.
"Care for us and accept us - we are all human beings," he said at the
conclusion of his speech. "We are normal. We have hands. We have feet.
We can walk, we can talk, we have needs just like everyone else. Don´t
be afraid of us - we are all the same!"
Nkosi johnson.
The following are some of the pictures and themes of our previous festivals in various places around our globe.
.The November 10 celebration of the child abandoned and living on our streets, was celebrated in style in various places around the world.
In Marracuene district,a small administartive village of maputo province. We had time to celebrate with the orpans in the deep rural; area of Pussulani. Here A man Ernesto,has decided to stop the flow/forced immigration of children from the rural areas to the major centers,like Maputo by building an orphanage and offering accommodation and food for those children whose parents, have passed on to the next level of being. It was a wonderful experience. The ultimate walk for humanity,is about children who are the living welfare of our future.
Our participation in in an awareness program for the Orphanage, the CCSR Centro Comunitario Sonho Real https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003250387053,during the Gwaza Mthini,Amarula festival www.facebook.com/groups/298760796842459/301330419918830/?notif_t=group_activity .in partnership with the Marracuene Lodge. www.marracuenelodge.co.mz and friends, was worthy and very uplifting.
We would love to thank our friends Darren Hazel, Howard drakes, Joseph Duncun, Lima, Donna and the entire Marracuene community for participating in the many different ways that you did. It was not possible to enjoy the festival without your support and presence. May you continue to partner and share.
The breaking down of mental walls and barriers remains to be our intention and ultimate Goal.
Here are a mixure of the street children festival 2011 picture, sent to us from the different parts of the world.
What an amazing festival we had. The many souls that come to celebrate and interact
with the abandoned innocent souls living on our streets.
The sharing and the learning experiences that were evident during the
festival was phenomenal. It is such reasons why we have the festival
to honor humanity while humbly extending a hand of support to the
vulnerable members of our community and society at large. Once again
the support of partners and friends confirms that the festival´s
intentions are noble and worthwhile for our existing human society.
Thanks to our partners: Lewis stores, Shopprite, Bat center, More To Life,
Artists(Dj Kabila, Dj.fifteen, Big Nuz, Zolani Mahola, Mapumba
Chilumbo and the many others) who gave their time and resources to
share with the children and community. It is an honor to have such
unique souls living in amongst. You are the souls that keep our world
alive and balanced. Thank you and i do hope that we continue to
partner for the benefit of a peaceful and just society, where our
children will be our partners and worthy of life.
A Big thank you to the organizing team of this yeras festival, you are a blessing to humanity.
The street children festival went on as the God of our
ancestors had planned and we
have every reason to appreciate, honor and gratify all that
participated.
The organizing team, consisting of
local NGO’s and business men and women, are optimistic that the children and
general society will continue to realize their potential to grow up
as responsible and productive members of our society, if counseling
and nurturing is openly accommodated and shared.
The mission of the Street Children Festival team 2009 was to
reinstate the lost trust between children and adults in our society,
by making them feel loved and accepted as a very special part of our
nation. To give back to the children their dignity and belief
in themselves and to provide them with a dream for a better future.
They believed that by introducing and availing a comfortable space
for the interaction and meeting for the children and community was
the first step.
Thank you to our partners and sponsors...Lewis
stores, BAT center, Shopprite , More To Life Durban for the
organizational expertise and planing, artists who gave their time to
participate and share with the children and community, Friends from
all parts of the world. You made it possible and a life changing
experience for the children and community at large.
The Street children Festival 2009 was held on the 7th
of November at the Albert Park in Durban. from
08h00 to 16h00. The date coincided with the international
Child Rights week and is set to become an annual event celebrated all
through our universe where children are respected and appreciated.
The event included a festive braai and
entertainment such as soccer,singing, dancing, Marshall arts
demonstrations and art and crafts.
Selected marshals were on the lookout for hidden
talents. Motivational talks were given by role models that came off
the streets themselves and children from surrounding schools were
allowed to freely interact with the children living on our streets by
sharing. Children rights groups were also present to discuss
and work shop with the children and community of the Children
rights. For those in need, general medical care was provided to
further make them feel loved and wanted.
It is hoped and trusted that this festival will be such a great success
that it will expand to the rest of South Africa and
the world. The organizers of the Street children Festival, ask you to
join us in spirit and prayer, to ensure that this festival brings
about a change in the life of each and every child living on our
streets and the society in general ,providing them with a vision for
a better future.
Your participation in future events will be highly appreciated and
rewarded in our future. Thank you in advance and remember it will
take all of us to find a solution to our challenges.
Peace shall remain our mission and target for
the people of our world and humanity in general. Our children have
the potential to unite us by availing to us our vulnerable nature
through the distance
we´ve traveled and gone while believing in what we call
civilization or modernity.
Here are some of the pictures taken on that beautiful sunny day. Enjoy in peace and let them talk to your soul.
Handing over a stove and cooking pots to Ubuntu street children organization donated by the street children partner, Lewis stores.
The CBO´s volunteer program
This is a page dedicated to those who are willing to volunteer and help in making this CBO´s attain their goals. The CBO´S that we work with are found at the community grassroots level and have dedicated their lives to uplifting the lifestyle of the communities around.
We hope that those who want to volunteer will learn and teach while integrating with different cultures and values that our people uphold. We all are looking forward to having a wonderful eye opening time while changing a people´s life.
Our world needs all of us.
Hope for the children.