I Am Somebody because...

On the spur of the moment, in a workshop with youth in 2011, we asked participants to complete the sentence "I Am Somebody because..." Their answers were so beautiful, and the connection this question inspired in the room so moving, that we have continued to ask this question every opportunity that we can. The question affirms how important it is to know what gives our lives meaning and how powerful it is to be witnessed for this.

People have said things like I Am Somebody because I exist. I Am Somebody because of my family. I Am Somebody because I love. I Am Somebody because I am a father. I Am Somebody because of my mother. I Am Somebody because I write. I Am Somebody because I work. I Am Somebody because I sing.. because I dance.. because I run...

One of the incredible runners, Rishita Nandagiri

It made sense, in the spirit of our work and ethos, to use this phrase as the name for our new fund raising campaign. This campaign will enable individuals from around the world to raise funds for our work doing what they love and what gives their lives meaning. The idea came from a  group of runners who wanted to run The Two Oceans Marathon to raise funds for our work.

This first group of individuals raising money is quickly growing... they now include cyclists, long distance and short distance runners. They have entered into races such as The Argus, The Milkwood Marathon, The Two Oceans Marathon and the Merrell Night run Series. In the next week you will start to see their activist pages on the GivenGain web site and on our facebook page. If you would like to join them by running or cycling, donate or read more about the initiative, visit our Given Gain Page.

We look forward to seeing what other ways people may use the phrase "I Am Somebody Because..." to seek sponsorship on our behalf and we are so grateful to the many people who regularly contribute to and support our work.

Rites of Passage Programme

Finding Gifts Workshop 

We had our first workshop of the year with the young adults in our Rites of Passage Programme. Using creative tools and a story circle process, participants in the programme worked with the challenges they have identified in their own lives. They began to search for the gifts within these challenges, the gifts they bring to the world. 

In the workshop participants spoke about how hard it is to identify gifts in themselves but after several processes they began to name beautiful gifts. They identified how in hard situations they have strength, persistence and care for others. For some letting go was a gift, for others it is being open to connecting with people deeply. 

While it may be easier to have other people tell you what your gifts are, finding these gifts ourselves enables us to own them and live into them more fully. As they work with their gifts more and more they will begin to work with the visions they have for their own lives.

This vulture feather was our talking piece during the story circle

Sandile adding to his ongoing storytelling project

Using free writing to explore challenges and gifts

Preparing lunch together

Time to catch up and rest after a busy morning