Life Skills Programme
Born in Africa’s life skills programme intends to expose Born in Africa children to the broader environment outside of their normal daily routine. The goal is to transfer basic or necessary skills to become well rounded, independent young adults.
Background & Challenges
Children in the Born in Africa program come from poor and disadvantaged communities, which leave them with little possibilities to broaden their view and experience their environment.
Because of the harsh living conditions, there is little room for children to be a child since they are asked to help out with household activities and to help taking care of their younger siblings. The limited after-school activities or sports clubs that exist in the area are not easily accessible for these children because of the distance and/or the money that is needed to participate.
It is of vital importance that children get to know the world in order to have a realistic image of what lies ahead in their future. Knowing what possibilities they might have and what they need to do to reach their potential is key. If children are excluded from developing their creative skills or discovering their hidden talents, they fall prey to apathy and become prone to abuse.
There is enough awareness as to the importance of developing “soft skills’ in schools, but unfortunately, the schools lack funding to take up this role and take the children on outings or educational trips.
What We Do
A specially assigned educational coordinator organizes camps, outings, swimming lessons together with volunteers. They act as role models and show the children how to be creative with little means.
Camps
Every year 9/10 camps are organised for a specific age group with an accompanying theme. For the younger children, the camps are less formal and filled with games and fun, playing freely within the bounds of teamwork and respect.
The older children are also provided with a fun camp but with more focus on team building, life skills, problem-solving and even health and safety. There is also room for career counselling with visits from professionals in specific fields.
The children are provided with meals and snacks as well as fun activities such as quizzes, movies and games
Every year 10 camps are organised, each for a specific age group and defined focus. For the youngest children, the camps are filled with fun and games to allow them to spend a couple of days playing freely within the boundaries of teamwork and respect.
The older children are also provided with a fun camp, but here there is more of a focus on team building, life skills, creative problem solving, and prevention.
The oldest group is also enjoying fun camps, but the focus lies heavily on learning to implement life skills in their daily lives. There is also room for career guidance, often combined with visits from professionals to give testimonies about their jobs.
Outings
Each year, all learners in the Born in Africa program get the opportunity of exploring some touristic attractions in the area. Local organisations help out by lowering entrance costs to hiking trails, on boat trips, into wildlife centres and for activities for locals who otherwise can’t access these sites. The kids get to see with wild animals in sanctuaries and even in their natural environment on nature hikes or boat during the holidays we organise outings to nature reserves, the beach, and game parks for the children who have participated in our homework classes and who have attended the individual and group sessions.
Learners in grade 11 and 12 are treated to a day outing to attractions a bit further away such as the Tsitsikamma Storms River suspension bridges or the Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn to reward them for their hard work and dedication.
Swimming and surfing Lessons
Since 2005, Born in Africa offered an annual swimming programme with a different group of Born in Africa students in order to ensure all of our kids at each school and each grade get a turn to learn how to swim. We would do a pre-test and post-test with the kids to assess their abilities and improvements.
These lessons are fun and educational but also vital as every year in South Africa children drown in the ocean, swimming pools, lakes or rivers. Teaching them basic skills and the ability to keep themselves above the water will help prevent these terrible occurrences from happening.
That’s why in 2024 Born in Africa decided to upgrade this program and build her own swimming pool. This enabled us to offer swimming classes year- round and to many more children. The pool was made possible by many big sponsors who we are incredible grateful for. The inside swimming pool is heated so we don’t have to worry about the weather conditions any longer, we swim come rain or shine! Per term, a group of 30 children gets the opportunity to learn to swim. 
The children learn how to blow bubbles, float, open their eyes under water, how to kick and how to use their arms properly. They also get free time in order to enjoy themselves in the water and for some this helps with a fear of the water too.
Not only for their own safety but also to widen possible job opportunities in this water-rich area, swimming lessons are organized. Pre- and post tests are performed to measure their progress.
We have also linked with another local project called Adopt a Swimmer, where they take training further with experienced instructors. See their website www.adoptaswimmer.co.za.
Children who successfully completed a swimming program, might also get the opportunity to learn to surf! Thanks to the local surf school Learn to Surf, about 30 children from Kranshoek are learning to surf anno 2025.
Arts & Crafts
Children can participate in different after-school activities such as woodwork, painting, needlework, and other articles they can use at home.