Spent yesterday visiting our AIDS and vulnerable children project in the Eastern Cape — the Umzi Wethu Academy for Displaced Youth — talking to the trainees and watching their program. What an impressive effort this is, and what an impact on these first 16 youth. Since I saw them at the launch of the program last May there is such a remarkable change in them, and the program is maturing daily. In addition to the training, health care, and personal counseling, our unique addition to this field is the wilderness experience — all of these youth have spent 3 weeks on trail, with lots more planned. They rave about this time spent in the wilderness. The next group will start at beginning of 2007, and another a few months later. . .it’s rolling now.
Attached is a longer report: