Personal message

Gavin Snell’s 20th Three Peaks – Running for Mamelani

The 2016 Three Peaks Challenge promises to be a special milestone for me personally, as I will be hoping to finish the challenge for the 20th successive year. I have derived an enormous amount of joy and satisfaction from this historical, quintessential Cape Town event, both as participant and co-organiser, and this year I have decided to make my role that much more special and rewarding, by raising awareness and funds for an organisation called Mamelani Projects.

Mamelani Projects is a registered NPO that runs an innovative Youth Development Programme that works specifically with young people who have grown up in a children’s home. When they turn 18, they are forced to move on from the system. Many of these young people are not ready for this transition and without adequate support, following years of stability, they struggle to cope with this new reality. Apart from needing emotional support, many need to be supported to stay in school, attend skills training programmes and find meaningful work. Mamelani's programme helps them to build resilience, strengthen their sense of who they are and acquire the skills they need to move forward in their lives.

Mamelani has two flagship programmes – one that contributes to community health and wellbeing and another that supports youth in transition. Their Youth Development Programme supports young people who have grown up in state care (child and youth care centres and former children’s homes) who, when they turn 18, need to move on from these institutions. Mamelani’s programme ensures that they do not fall through the gaps at this critical time and that they are emotionally and practically prepared for the next chapter of their lives.

Funds that are raised ensure that Mamelani is able to offer learning opportunities in ways that truly enable them to have the confidence required, to take the next steps towards reaching their own personal goals, and the resilience to deal with the challenges that they are faced with. The support that Mamelani provides focuses on resilience-building activities, support for further education, and the opportunity to start a paid internship and ultimately prepare for the world of work.

Please help me reach my goal of raising R20 000 (R1000 for each year of my involvement with Three Peaks) to create these kinds of opportunities for the young people that Mamelani works with.

Many thanks!

Donations