The Valleys and Mountains Development Foundation Annual Report 2015 - | Page 54

 A young man of twenty-two who was always considered to be uneducable mastered the skill of craft art to such level of professionalism and productivity that he made R1200-00 from bowls which he produced in less than two months. • A youth of seventeen who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, developed into a very creative sculptor, an award-winning actor and an amazing dancer within the scope of two years, and he is an extremely capable art teacher. He is a brilliant diamond entrusted to us to nurture emotionally in order to develop to his full potential. • A young man with a father who is a diagnosed schizophrenic and constantly threats to kill his two sons, managed to develop into a very efficient artist, actor, puppeteer, comedian, and theatre technician. He managed to live beyond the fear of his father’s threats and the challenges within this dysfunctional family. • A young woman of eighteen who has to be a mother for her two younger siblings and protects them against her mother’s boyfriend who has tried to rape her twice, never before smiled. Through the character of her assertive puppet she learned to speak up for herself and to nurture the beauty within herself. She also produces beautiful, delicate craft art. • Seven OVC’s of which four had never been to school before, were holistically developed to a level where they were accepted for main-stream schooling. They all passed their grade last year and are confident learners.