caroline

Caroline is an incredible South African who is helping empower the kids in her community, that have been left behind or trampled by the system.

 

She is making sure that the future generations in her community can stand up and lead one day!

“I have a name” is an awesome photo series showcasing everyday South Africans in the most phenomenal way. Proudly South African… one story at a time.

The stories are told by the incredible South Africans… raw & unedited. It’s a showcase of humanness, a reminder that behind every face, is a name.

Meet Caroline… a South African empowering our future generation!

Caroline studied fine art and psychology but is using these skills to help the future generations of South Africa.

For the past 11 years she has been reaching out to the community in Kya Sands and taking in kids to educate. This year they bought a license to the Impaq curriculum which caters to kids from grade 1-12 and is designed to enable individualized learning in schools and at home.

Impaq provides a comprehensive set of educational products based on a CAPS aligned curriculum for Grades R – 12. Their curriculum and related solutions are designed to enable individualised learning and are used to educate learners in schools and at home.

Caroline currently has 38 children that she is teaching ranging from age 2 to Grade 7.

“I’m passionate about seeing kids healthy and whole and happy, and really nurturing their strengths through the arts such as music, drama, dance, painting and drawing. Each kid is unique and different and excels in different ways.”

A lot of the kids in Kya Sands cannot attend a government school because their parents are not South African, and then there are those that just get trampled by the system. Since they have an Impaq license, they register kids through them and receive a full curriculum which they complete under their supervision.

Caroline works closely with a social worker who operates in the area, and who also brings kids to her to be schooled.

“A few years ago a little girl and her brother were brought to us – ages 18 months and 3 years . They were found locked in a shack with their mother who had passed away. They were in there with her for 3 days after she passed , and nobody knew . They tried to wake her up… you can imagine the trauma… they were broken little things when they first came here, but you should see them now.”

“The little girl in the colourful dress that ran up to you and hugged you… that’s her!”

“They live with their gran, and are doing well, but it took over a year to gain their trust.”

“Another little boy was brought to us. He didn’t speak, and was labeled as a trouble maker but you should see his drawings… and even though it looks like he doesn’t listen – when you give him a math or spelling test he aces it!”

They are currently running the school from 2 rooms of her house in Bloubosrand, but she is in the process of moving out and into another house so that they can use the rest of the house for the school as well next year.

“I believe in loving and nurturing these little ones. They are the future of our country.”

caroline


“I Have A Name” is a space where an anonymous photographer (we’ll call her J) is taking photos of everyday South Africans to showcase their incredible stories.
How do we bridge the great South African divides? Black vs white, young vs old, rich vs poor, men vs women? The divides that keep us from making eye contact with the beggar standing on the street corner, or the stranger in the lift.
CS Lewis said, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”
Come with me on a journey…the stories and names behind the faces of everyday South Africans living their life in your neighbourhood, on your streets.
I think you will discover that we have a lot in common.
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About the Author

Brent Lindeque is the founder and editor in charge at Good Things Guy.

Recognised as one of the Mail and Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s as well as a Primedia LeadSA Hero, Brent is a change maker, thought leader, radio host, foodie, vlogger, writer and all round good guy.

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