IN SOUTH AFRICA, we have benefitted from the new Land Rover that was bought with last year’s Christmas donations and this has helped MKA begin new after-school programmes.
IN UGANDA, we have expanded into new areas and have received many positive comments from school teachers about the change in their pupils behaviour once the MKA programme commences in their school.
This year has also had times of great sadness. South Africa now has the highest unemployment rate of any country in the world and this has led to an escalation of crime and violence which at MKA we have seen first-hand. One young mother with twin 7-year-old boys, who were on our Child Sponsorship programme, was murdered by a gang breaking into her home late one evening. Her death was senseless and has meant that these young boys have had to leave their home to live with their grandmother in an area far from Cape Town.
One of our teenage leaders experienced this increasing violence when her father was shot and killed as he was driving near his home. A young man who used to faithfully attend the MKA programmes was found brutally stabbed and murdered.
Three young boys who have attended the MKA programme in their area sadly died. Their story is a tragedy and a consequence of poverty. In some of the worst storms Cape Town has seen, illegal electric wires used in the informal settlements fell onto the ground with puddles forming over the wires. The boys walked through the puddles and were electrocuted.
Living constantly with the fear of crime and murder takes its toll on people and sadly the fears people have are not unfounded. South Africa consistently has one of the highest incidences of rape and murder.
Children and young people are growing up surrounded by violence, fear and a lack of hope in the future.
We so appreciate the generosity of your giving each year and know that without it MKA could not achieve all it does. We ask that you prayerfully consider how you can support MKA and help make a difference in young people’s lives.
Thank you and from us all we wish you a blessed Christmas full of joy.
Janet, James and all at MKA
