Concert by the Creek
“The 16th annual Concert by the Creek was an amazing evening of wonderful music, beautiful atmosphere and perfect weather! Thank you to everyone who volunteered, performed, or attended.” Laura Myers.
Laura Myers, along with her husband, Chris Rendell, have organized this event since its inception. Thank you to Laura & Chris.
Through the generous donations of the appreciative crowd and the sponsorship of Energy Atlantica, we raised over $8,300 for the Piggs Peak Partnership! The receipt of these funds is timely and will partially be used to pay for an emergency need we just found out about last week.
____________________________________________________________
TK Maseko wrote from Piggs Perak, "Siphetfo Mncina is facing a hardship on food as his house burned with everything in it. He lost his books, clothes, blankets and shelter. A neighbouring soldier from his community has donated a tent for shelter. Siphetfo is with his mother, father and two little sisters, one going to Form 1 (Grade 8) next year and a younger one who is paralysed and can’t walk. But the tent can’t help much because they are always afraid of the winds, which can blow down the tent, and the fires, which can burn the tent at night.”
"Zinhle Simelane and her family lost their thatching grass which was used as roof which was blown away by wind. Also, all the food they had was destroyed."
____________________________________________________________
Educating & Empowering Females
A key tenet of the Piggs Peak Partnership is that we provide education to at least as many females as males. Furthermore, a large proportion of our sponsored females are OVC. An education provides females with dignity, self-respect, and the self confidence that allows them to say “no” to unwanted sex and the risk of contracting HIV. Studies show that girls in school are less likely to be sexually active and less likely to contract HIV. By providing an education, we are breaking the cycle of AIDS and orphans. We are empowering girls and rescuing them from the “vector of danger.”
As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” We are seeing the change. Many of the girls we have put through school are now strong, confident women who no longer tolerate many outdated cultural practices like child marriages, wife inheritance, and polygamy. But real change will require a cultural overhaul in Eswatini. And that will entail changes in beliefs, attitudes and actions from both females and males. As educated girls and boys graduate and integrate into the Swazi social structure, impart new values, and raise their own daughters and sons, they will bring about the broader, much needed, change to Swazi culture.
____________________________________________________________
Educating Males
Education plays a crucial role in shaping males’ attitudes about gender equality in Eswatini. It exposes boys to a broader range of ideas and perspectives and challenges traditional gender stereotypes. High school is a more egalitarian, merit-based environment than Swazi society in general, where girls can more easily rise to the top of their class. Exposure to intelligent, capable young women can inspire young men to respect and support women and the idea of gender equality.
____________________________________________________________
In 2023, we are paying school fees for 250 students. Our policy is that, once a student joins the Starfish program, their sponsorship is continued until they graduate. Therefore, with less than 50 students scheduled to graduate this year, we have already committed to continue sponsoring over 200 students returning in 2024. Meanwhile, our local partners have already received applications from well over 100 potential new students seeking sponsorship!
Our goal for 2024 is to increase our 250 sponsorships The people we are helping in Eswatini recognize this assistance as an expression of love. Karen Mandy wrote from Piggs Peak, “I feel extremely blessed to witness firsthand, the difference that can be made when a small group of people, on the other side of the world, join hands and commit themselves to something bigger than themselves. It is a rare and beautiful testimony to the human spirit….
...Thank you for your love, your support and your commitment to helping us give back a future to this generation of young Swazis.”
You can make the world a better place. A donation to the Partnership will show your love for our neighbours, allow us to increase school sponsorships, and shine a light into a darkening world.
