E-Newsletters

JUNE 2016

We've Moved!

Global Camps Africa has relocated to a co-working community in Reston Town Center. Please update your address books to reflect our new contact information, and come visit us if you're in the neighborhood!

11911 Freedom Drive
Suite 850
Reston, VA 20190
Phone: 703-828-4226

We’d also like to invite you to a Lunch and Learn on July 12th in our new office to hear updates about Global Camps Africa, see our new space and say hello to the team! Join us July 12th at noon in the Reston Town Center. RSVP to Courtney@globalcampsafrica.org if you can attend.

Youth Month in South Africa

Every June in South Africa is celebrated as Youth Month, in honor of the peaceful protestors who lost their lives during a demonstration in Soweto in June of 1976,  an event that many believe was key to leading to independence in 1994.

Our June Youth Clubs have focused on Youth Month, with vochellis leading discussions and activities around the theme. Campers have discussed issues such as the differences between the youth back then compared with today, as well as what it means to be free to the youth of 2016. Campers responded that freedom today means being able to:

  • Become educated in their own languages
  • Attend multi-racial schools
  • Freedom of speech in expressing their rights
  • Be equal in job positions
  • Have multi-racial relationships

One interesting and challenging activity was learning how to crochet to make a blanket for Mandela Day (July 18) to give to charity. Some campers grasped the skill quickly, while others found it more difficult to understand. Our vochellis once again demonstrated their quick thinking by introducing the buddy method, where campers paired up - one who knew how to crochet well and the other still learning, so they could teach one another and have fun working together. This was an excellent activity that not only honored these important parts and people of South African history, but also taught patience, perseverance and teamwork.

Report from the Field -  Recognizing Our Cabin Specialists

All of our vochellis play important roles during camp. Our versatile camp director, Kabelo Malefane, was recently reminded of this during the last camp when he stayed in a cabin for the first time in years. Cabin specialists (those vochellis who stay in cabins and supervise the campers overnight) have the extra tough job of dealing with anything that comes up at night - including escorting those kids who need to take a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night.


KB joked that “waking up three or more times in the night was not fun at all!” but he also explained that it gave him a good perspective that those vochellis could be extra tired in the mornings, and reminded him of the importance of vochellis looking out for and communicating with one another. Kudos to our vochellis who do their jobs so well and without complaint!!

CAMP Goes Global

As the summer season begins in the United States, we are looking forward to expanding our CAMP Goes Global program by bringing trained South African counselors to existing summer camp or youth programs in the US. CAMP (Cross-cultural Activities Made fun Program) Goes Global aims to broaden the perspective of and empower at risk youth through cultural exchange and research-based life skills activities.

CAMP Goes Global will bring groups of 3 highly skilled and trained African counselors from Soweto, South Africa, to volunteer in American youth development programs. Every day our counselors (and their campers) face the issues surrounding extreme poverty, hunger, violence, and the threat of HIV and AIDS. Our counselors bring a unique perspective to their work with at-risk youth and use intentional camp activities to make a lasting impact in a short period of time.

We’d like to thank our partners for CAMP Goes Global, who we are excited to work with this summer!

  • Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich
  • Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington
  • Family Matters DC (Camp Moss Hollow)
  • Laurel Learning Center
  • Stanley Isaacs Center
  • Washington DC, Department of Parks and Recreations

For more information on how you can get involved please call (443) 309-2283 or email jordan@globalcampsafrica.org.

Did you know you can support GCA just by doing your regular shopping on Amazon?

Our campers understand the true meaning of the AmazonSmile program. Sign up today to ensure that 0.5% of all eligible purchases on Amazon go to GCA and help keep these campers smiling all through Camp Sizanani next year.