04 May 2021

Graduates of Pinagare project offered by Stepping Stones International have been implored to employ the skills learnt in order to shape the community at large. 

The organisation’s Good Hope coordinator Ms Mosadi Botlhale made the appeal in the village Saturday during a graduation ceremony for 42 parents and teenagers who participated in the project.  

Ms Botlhale said the project’s main aim was to empower children, youth and parents to create a healthy mother and father relationship, live in harmony and peace at home and in society.

It helped participants to cultivate open and caring relationships, she explained.

Quoting a study conducted in the area, she said the programme had borne much fruit given the impressive testimonials given by past participants.

 Ms Botlhale expressed the hope that Pinagare results would inspire other families to sign up for the programme to shape the community at large.

 One of the graduates, Ms Nokuthula Molefhi, who participated together with her daughter,  thanked the organisation for the 14 weeks of training saying it was worth it.

She said the programme had helped parents to communicate with their children. “It has taught me to speak to my children openly without hiding anything,” she said adding that it also cultivated friendships among them.

Ms Molefhi said the programme  helped her to switch from a yelling monologue to respectful dialogue. 

Yelling taught children to fear parents instead of understanding the consequences of their actions, she said.

Some children who graduated from the programme attested to the fact that it had  brought them closer to their parents. 

Parents were now open to talk about different issues at home that would have in the past created conflicts, they said.

Doing family budgets together  had helped children appreciate why their parents could not meet all their desires.

Children said they now paid heed to their daily responsibilities and did what their parents expected of them. ends