Help troubled teenagers

South Africans have to deal with family issues first and foremost if we are to raise teenagers who are emotionally balanced

By:  Onalenna Jantjie

Reaching out.....Peo giving advice to young boys and girls at Multi purpose centre

When young people experiences hardship in life they rarely ever take lemons and turn them into lemonade.  But for Peo Modukanele it was a different story altogether.  She decided to take the experience of having children at a young age and use it to her advantage.  “I had my first child when I was fifteen years old.  As we speak I have four kids.  The whole experience of having children out of wedlock left me feeling worthless,” she said.  Like many unwed mothers, the society did not see a future for Peo.  “But each day I managed to motivate myself. I would tell myself that I am not a failure and that something good will come out of my situation.  That is when I decided to do charity work in order to better the lives of the underprivileged teenagers. I would do people’s hair or sell cookies just so I could make money to buy toiletries for the needy children. I had realised that most kids suffer from low self esteem because they don’t smell good.  As a result, they can’t even ask questions in class because they are afraid their peers will make fun of them. 

The charity work gained momentum as more and more people began helping out. “I’d receive donations from people staying as far as Limpopo. So I realized that through the help of the community I could actually provide toiletries to a large number of needy students. Hence I asked the teachers from most schools to help identify needy students,” she said. In addition to donating toiletries, Peo also avails her house to kids who are in need of emotional support.  “Some kids come to my place asking for help with homework and I gladly provide them with the help that they need.  Sadly, most parents are negligent towards their kids because their kids would be at my house for days but they wouldn’t even phone to ask how they are doing.  Some of these children come from homes which are headed by children. This has made me aware that the root of social ills lies in dysfunctional families. We as South Africans have to deal with family issues first and foremost if we are to raise emotionally balanced teenagers.

As Peo continued buying toiletries she realised that teenagers not only needed toiletries but motivation. This led Peo to formally register her non profit organisation called Help a child.  “What started as a small organisation is now a fully functioning Non profit organisation which reaches most villages of John Taolo Gaetsewe district.  “I visit schools on a regular basis to give motivation and toiletries.  During the motivational session I share my experience with the young people. As I engage with the kids I realise that most kids are affected by their situation at home.  Some are ill treated at home and find it difficult to stay with step fathers or to relate with step fathers.  As a result, kids end up feeling neglected.  So they end up calling me and seeking advice in the middle of the night.  Although Peo is not a qualified social worker she says she is considering studying psychology. “I would like to study psychology so that I can be more efficient as a counsellor to our youth,” she said. 

Her NPO is currently running on donations given by the community members. She hasn’t received any grand from the government.  “I have approached the government on many occasions but it is difficult to get funding from the government so I have taken my eyes completely off government funds.  We run this organisation solely on the donations we receive from the community. “I believe that the organization will receive the money all in God’s good time,” she said.  In addition to offering help and emotional support, Help a child also started Know your worth campaign.  “This campaign is geared towards the girls as they are the ones who always struggle with a sense of self worth.  Some of them we find are trying to find their worth in a man.  So in this campaign we always invite successful ladies who have gone through various challenges to come and speak with the young girls. And in this way they are able to learn that challenges in life are just stumbling block which they can overcome.  “We also encourage young girls to be self sufficient and to start their own businesses because some of them think that being in a romantic relationship translates into success in life. In addition to that we also encourage them to align their conduct with the biblical principles because God sees them as individuals who are capable of succeeding beyond their imagination.  He doesn’t limit them the way the society limits them.

Speaking on where she sees herself in five years time Peo said: “I’d like to see myself running a rehabilitation centre for those that are struggling with depression. I also want to raise enough funds so that we can pay tuition fees for learners. “