Igniting hope, re-imagining and strengthening futures!
Our Story
Westlake and Capricorn are vibrant, diverse Cape Town communities, that are surrounded by affluent residential and business areas. High levels of unemployment have led to poverty amongst residents of these communities, which is a major factor affecting the children and youth and their ability to thrive. Combined with a lack of service delivery and criminal elements this contributes to a sense of hopelessness amongst all sectors of the community.
Ronald Abels and his team, based at Church of The Holy Spirit part of St John’s Anglican Parish in Cape Town, have been facilitating life-skills programmes with Grade 7 learners at Westlake and Capricorn Primary Schools for the last 6 years. The connection with the Grade 7 learners has given the Future Hope team an insight into the challenges faced by children in these communities.
The reality is that many of these learners live with challenges day-to -day, that have disadvantaged many of their chances for future success in life. Many have lost the ability to dream about their future or plan for short-term goals. Future Hope Ministries works through various after school programmes to provide hope to learners in these communities.
Ronald has learnt through his personal life experience, how difficult it is to succeed at school, and therefore in life, with so many of these factors stacked against one.
““For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11”
Factors which contribute to high
drop out rates of learners in marginalised communities:
Insufficient academic support for those struggling at under-resourced schools
Poor access to information technology
Small dwellings with no quiet space to study
Long commutes to school (some children have to walk 45 min – 1 hour to get to their high schools)
Poor nutrition which affects their ability to focus and succeed academically
A lack of emotional support for those who live with the constant challenges and trauma caused by violence, neglect, poverty and substance abuse in their communities
Insufficient career guidance and subject choice advice.
Our mission:
· To provide supportive after-school programmes for learners who live in Westlake and Capricorn, two local, marginalised communities in Cape Town.
· To provide a safe and consistently caring place, where they can begin to break free from some of the hopeless cycles in their communities.
· To provide a space where learners are free to imagine, to plan and work towards a future that excites them.
· To ignite in learners a genuine belief in their individual worth, to strengthen them personally, emotionally, spiritually and academically, so that they can begin to change their futures for better, making their personal ambitions and dreams a reality.
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Email
admin@futuresparks.org.za
Phone
063 231 4343