The two caregivers from Orange Farm, Sylvia Selelekela and Ouma Chaane, who left for New York on 15 April 2008, on the Harmony By Karate Africa Scholarship Programme arrived home on 15 June 2008. They now have their orange belts in Karate.

The Harmony By Karate Programme was developed in partnership with MaAfrika Tikkun, to help teach Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) methods of defending themselves and promoting tolerance worldwide through the philosophy of universal harmony.

Their commitment and eagerness to learn, made their stay in New York to be cut by half as they did the four month course in two months.

“Our training was very hectic and we used to exert ourselves so as not to disappoint MaAfrika Tikkun as they sent us to New York because they believed in us,” Sylvia said.

“The time that we spent in New York training, was an eye opener for us in various ways. We managed to ‘find’ ourselves and ‘grow’ emotionally and spiritually. That fear factor in us is no more,” Ouma added.

“Our mindset has changed for the better and we are more patient with other people and we have learnt how to control our anger and channel that energy in a positive way.”

Sylvia and Ouma have been so fired up since they came back, they feel it will be proper to start with their fellow caregivers and motivate them and impart the knowledge that they acquired.

They also want to take it further by mobilizing their respective communities and encourage them to volunteer their time as this will help open up opportunities for them. Ouma intends visiting the schools she attended to help motivate children especially the OVCs.

At the moment, they haven’t started yet with training other caregivers, about 130 of them on the art of Harmony By Karate, as they are still getting the logistics in order. As soon as a place has been identified and the time that they will be doing their training set, real work will begin for them before they take it to the next level of training/teaching the OVC’s.

They say their time in New York has helped them understand MaAfrika Tikkun’s dream and theirs is to make that dream a reality.

Their stay in New York was not a walk in the park. As this was their first time outside the country and away from home for such a long time, they were constantly homesick. This used to get worse each time they went to volunteer at a nursery school. The time that they spent at Little Treasures Nursery school, made them think of the children in Orange Farm who don’t have the opportunities that other children have. “It used to bring tears to our eyes and at least we had each other to comfort and encourage,” Sylvia said.