Infront of Parliament this morning.
My meeting today with Mike Ramagoma (Ministry - Dept of Correctional Services) in Parliament was an amazing one! He embraced the work we are doing with a lot of interest and great appreciation.
Focus today was to ask the Ministry for active involvement and support - also in the arena of attracting funds to sustain and expand both regionally and nationally. We discovered the first elements of a shared vision which both the Ministry and SmilingOne will pursue. Many more strategic meetings are to be held to explore the potential of the partnership and to take action...
- This will lead to more prisons benefitting from THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL, more coaches being trained (inside / outside prison), a support structure for re-integration with THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL which is a direct link to our youth and community development initiatives and the CIRCLES OF CHANGE.
- It will also lead to THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL being translated into both Xhosa and Afrikaans (to begin with) to give everyone an opportunity to benefit!
SmilingOne is committed to continue to inspire Society - also through our online platform - and I have asked the Ministry for their full support and endorsement of this 'Window to our Initiative' as it will assist us in:
- Inspiring Hope
People are in dire need of inspiration to ignite that fire of hope, beginning to trust that we are walking towards a bright future where we can rehabilitate offenders and re-integrate them into society. And not stopping there – making use of these changed people for crime prevention and management within their communities upon release. They will inspire youth, families and whole communities to embrace change and walk the journey as responsible individuals through their own living example. - Shedding light on positive partnerships in rehabilitation
We at SmilingOne know that none of us can walk this journey alone. We will only succeed when we join hands, when we walk shoulder by shoulder and heart by heart. We have the past three years experienced heartfelt commitment from DCS, the management of different prisons, the members/officials and the inmates. This is worth mentioning and showcasing – our example can serve as great inspiration in society and inspire many more to take loving action for our country. - Creating Awareness
People who walk the path of change and responsible living automatically inspire others to do the same! EVERYONE can be touched and inspired by simply following the process. This is what assists us in building awareness and shifting mindsets. We may not know exactly what makes us take the next step to invite responsibility into our lives. It could be one of the guys in Brandvlei Maximum sharing of his journey with THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL that sparks that light within us and leads us, a ‘total stranger’, to embark on a new and truly rewarding journey! - Attracting Sponsorships
An essential part which SmilingOne relies on due to the huge impact the programme has had the past three years and continues to have. We simply cannot do it on our own anymore. This has become an opportunity to invite a whole Society to partner with us in rehabilitation, re-integration and community development. That in itself is a huge gift - to ask for a helping hand! ONE SOCIETY!
Happy Thursday Everyone!
In Gratitude
Karina
