Help Kerry save Genius Junction Campaign

I met Kerry in 1996 while studying Textile Design.  I barely managed to complete 1 rubbish design brief and she would arrive with 3 masterpieces casually having also created a few 100 bead necklaces for a weekend market on 1 hour of sleep!  Little  has changed since then, she remains the most productive creative person I know.  I could blabber on about her talents and achievements but I need to get to the crux of the matter. Her creativity and many gifts pale in comparison to her generosity. She is literally one of those people who would take the shirt off her  back to give it to you, for real.

Not one to sit back and watch someone suffer, she gets stuck in, full tilt. The thing about her is that she cares, she really cares about people, whether it be a kid nearby without shoes, a granny without food, an orphan without a home. She steps in and does something, always, in spite of her own challenges.. Her husband Jay and her kids Judah (14) and Ezra (21) are the same sort of people, people who give.

In January 2023 she started up a homeschool centre in Waterfall. KZN, realizing the need for a safe space where neurodivergent kids could not only take a breath and heal while being educated, but somewhere they could thrive. The school, Genius Junction has been running successfully , educating 36 students from Grade 1- Grade 12. Kerry shares snippets of school life  on her Facebook page ; a testament to what she and her staff have achieved, a happy place where kids  enjoy learning in spite of their challenges.  Kerry is instilling her spirit of generosity in her students too as they  become involved in community projects. Unfortunately Genius Junction suffered a major setback recently when their beloved Maths and Science teacher had a series of strokes from which he is still recovering.

Sadly, Kerry herself has suffered her own health scare being diagnosed with cancer on the same day as  her employee's stroke. Lymph node removal surgery is booked for December 12th . To make matters worse Kerry received an unexpected  30 day notice for the end of her tenancy.  She had expected her school premises to be secured until 2025. Now Kerry and her family need to pack up their school and home, move 2 large Gemini huts and  find another suitable location within budget before the end of  December.  A tall order for anyone. Pre-cancer Kerry would have managed easily, but now things are different.

 A suitable property has not been found. Kerry’s greatest concern is for her students. To quote a recent post, mentioning her cancer diagnosis, she stoically  says ‘I will be fine.’  All she wants is for her students to have a school to return to , for her family to have a home and for her livelihood to continue. If you know anything about children on the spectrum,  change is their greatest enemy, so this move will already be an enormous challenge  for them but without a venue to envisage it will be devastating. This kind of stress is not something Kerry needs right now.

Kerry the helper of many is now needing help, big time.

Kerry and her family have endured more than their fair share of hardships in the past few years, in fact a mind-boggling share. This feels like the last straw, but it doesn’t have to be.

If you want to be a part of ensuring the survival of Genius Junction please donate funds. 

These  funds will be used to:

a) fund the move and packing up of the school and Kerry’s home (while recovering from surgery)

b) assist Kerry and her family in the shortfall of their medical expenses not covered by her in-hospital medical plan

c) create a financial buffer for potential future uncertainties that  Kerry and Genius Junction may face  in light of her diagnosis

If you  are able to assist in finding  another rental property or perhaps have contacts in the removals industry who could sponsor their move that would be wonderful..

Thank you for reading my amazing friend’s story,  please share it far and wide.