ADOPT A DANCER

Hi my name is Joeline and I am the founder of HEIDEVELD THEATRE COMPANY.I have been working in Heideveld for the past 4 years now, where i teach underprivileged kids from this community free dance.drama and singing classes twice a week to get them away from their NEGATIVE environments they finding themselves surrounded by daily.We are based in the very heart of Heideveld itself which is in South Africa. where gangsterism ,murder and poverty stand in front of MOST of these youngsters doorsteps almost on a daily.basis.and where gangsters would take advantage of circumstances like poverty to recruit youngsters as young as 8 years old already ,taking advantage of their home environments and circumstances.

We have started out with only 10 kids and have increased to 70 kids ages 6 to 19 years old .Many days most of these youngsters come to dance classes hungry and have not had a proper meal in days.last year one of the dancers was hospitalised due to lack of proper nourishment.I would many times supply them with a sandwich or two but cant do it alone anymore as the total of our kids has grown from being only 10 kids now to 70 kids .

There was a time that i felt so tired and drained and broken because i felt like i was fighting so hard just to JUST get a loaf of bread for these kids and even had challenges with the premises to continue the practise sessions and i felt like why should i care and make myself so sick of worrying about other peoples children if their own parents dont even care about themselves.

I THEN CAME TO A POINT THAT I HAVE completely given up on these kids NOT because i wanted to, but because i felt like i was crying out for help and i got NO HELP AT ALL. What really saddens me is that the time i gave up on the kids they had no where to go and most of these kids comes to dance to forget about their challenges and its like they dont want the classes to stop at all because they dont want to go home AND MY BIGGEST FEAR BECAME A REALITY .I LOST ONE OF MY MOST TALENTED YOUNG DANCERS ONLY 14 YEARS OLD IN GANG VIOLENCE .MY HEART IS STILL BROKEN AND I KNOW NOW THE ALMIGHTY REALLY TESTED MY FAITH..... MANY OF THE PARENTS OF THESES KIDS ARE EITHER DRUG ADDICTS,ALCOHOLICS OR SIMPLY JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN'S INTEREST OR TALENT. MANY TIMES WHEN WE DO PERFORMANCES I CAN SEE THE SADNESS IN SOME OF THE KIDS EYES BECAUSE OF PARENTS NEVER PRESENT OR EVEN PITCHES UP TO WATCH THEIR KIDS PERFORMING

I have NEVER really asked for help on this level but today i am crying out for help and humbly appeal for ANY kind of donation to help me with Heideveld Theatre Company not just to keep these kids safe from their NEGATIVE environments but to be able to put a decent meal at least once a week and that is my Prayer today .

TODAY I AM PLEASE ASKING ANYONE WHO READS THIS MESSAGE TO BE REALLY TOUCHED BY ADOPTING A YOUNG DANCER IN NEED. I WOULD LIKE THEM TO HAVE THEIR OWN LEOTARD,SHOES AND BALLET TIGHTS WHEN THEY START THEIR FIRST DANCE CLASS IN FEBRUARY 2020 .SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING AND KNOW THAT THEY ARE ALSO IMPORTANT , SPECIAL AND BEAUTIFUL..BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN CHILDREN LOOK GOOD THEY FEEL GOOD.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE MONEY THAT YOU NEED TO DONATE YOU CAN EVEN SPONSOR A DANCER BY BUYING THE DANCE OUTFIT YOURSELF. MY WISH IS JUST TO HAVE THEM ALL LOOK LIKE REAL BALLERINAS WHEN THEY DO THE CLASSES.

YOU CAN EMAIL ME AT [email protected]

MY CRY IS TO HELP ME HELPING THEM TO BUILD SELF ESTEEM ,SELF CONFIDENCE,LOVED ,BEAUTIFUL ,SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT BY HELPING ME GETTING THEM THEM FULLY DRESSED FOR THEIR DANCE CLASSES SO THEY CAN LOOK AND FEEL BEAUTIFUL , IMPORTANT,SPECIAL AND LOVED WHEN THEY COME TO DANCE CLASSES AS MANY OF THEM ALREADY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE A PROPER MEAL JUST ONCE A WEEK OR MAY IT BE EVEN ONCE A MONTH. OR EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE LOVED AND FEEL LOVED BECAUSE THEY COME FROM BROKEN HOMES AND BROKEN FAMILIES THEMSELVES.NO CHILD NEEDS TO GO THROUGH STRUGGLE AND FEELS SUCH PAIN

I REALLY LOVE THESE KIDS WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL BECAUSE WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH THEM ,I AM EXPERIENCING SOME OF THEIR STRUGGLES AND PAIN BUT HAVE TO BE STRONG AS THEIR MENTOR MYSELF .IT MIGHT NOT BE THE EASIEST THING TO DO BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU ITS DEFINITELY WORTH IT TO BE PART OF THEIR LIVES KNOWING WHERE THEY COMING FROM,SHARING THEIR STRUGGLE AND PAIN BUT YET WHAT AMAZES ME THE MOST WHEN YOU SEE THEM SMILING AND DANCING YOU WOULD NEVER SAY OR EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THEY ARE FACING ON A DAILY BASIS BECAUSE THEY NEVER COMPLAIN.

HOPE THIS TRUE LIFE STORY CAN TOUCH AT LEAST ONE HEART OUT THERE.

MANY THANKS

GOD BLESS!