The SOS Charity fund was pleased to sponsor two girls to participate in Code Teen Camp – the Teenage Girl’s Passport to a positive self-image.
The weekend of self-discovery, inspirational workshops and healthy lifestyle, hosted from 5th to 7th April at Kunguru Lodge in Elgin Valley in the Cape, was once again the brain child of Karen Burt of Planet Productions. Karen has various separate campaigns to uplift the community, including Luminosity Lab which put together and hosted the Code Teen Camp, and her Inspired Stages Mentorship Programme aimed at youngsters interested in the arts and entertainment industry. Karen relies on her vast networking contacts, which she has built over the past thirty years, to turn her vision into a reality to ultimately help change lives, one child at a time.
With a belief that the 21st Century teenage girls are under attack, not by world wars, politicians and missiles but by social media, society ‘norms’, bullying, pressure to ‘fit in’ and the quest to discover and own individual identity, Code Teen hoped to help each girl answer the burning question, “Who am I really?”
The programme included fun activities, quizzes, a touch of pampering and fashion, glamping (that’s camping in style) and topics that would help each person reach their full potential emotionally, physically, academically and socially.
“I believe this is just the start of many new beginnings, attitudes and friendships for the fifty teenage girls who attended,” Karen wrote on her Facebook Page. “Our Code Teen Camp was a myriad of laughter, tears, challenges, successes, obstacles, solutions, conversations, songs … but above all unconditional love, respect and support for each other as women. My eternal gratitude to everyone who made this weekend possible. I love and respect you all.”
A portion of each girls fee will be donated to Patch Helderberg Child Abuse Centre.
For the DWR Distribution team, who run the SOS Charity Fund, it’s always an honor to work alongside Karen’s generous heart and to help make a difference no matter how big or small.
Below, please find messages from two of the girls who attended, one a 16 Year Old living in Muizenberg Masiphumelele and the other an 18 Year Old from Blackheath in Cape Town.
“Hello there dearest sponsor, thank you for allowing me to have an awesome time at the Code Teen Camp. If it wasn’t for you I probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to experience such deep self-discovery and because of that I am finally sure of where my should lies in terms of career – and that is doing exactly what Mama K is doing. Thank you so much and may God be with you.”
“To my sponsor – thank you, thank you, thank you, so much for this opportunity. This Camp was so great and really amazing. I really learnt a lot out of this experience and am really grateful that you gave me this opportunity to explore, find myself and learn more about life. This experience really changed my life and made me see things differently. Thank you so, so much.”
