Working to be the Community Auntie I Needed Growing Up

My journey in community service started when I became a board member for the Kgatelopele Local Municipality for several years. During that time, I witnessed the struggles of our community, and I felt a deep calling to do more. In 2019, I founded AGAPE Community Upliftment Projects, alongside my cousin Annelise Baaiers. AGAPE, which stands for God’s love, is the heart of my work.  

Through AGAPE, I have been able to touch the lives of so many children and young people; those who are often left with no choice but to roam the streets. Our aftercare programmes give children a safe place to go after school, where they can learn, grow, and simply be kids. We also provide food security initiatives, GBVF+ awareness, HIV & AIDS education, women and youth empowerment, skills development programmes, drug and substance abuse reduction initiatives, and recycling and upcycling projects in partnership with Captain Fan Plastic. It is a lot, but each programme is vital, and each one plays its part in improving the lives of those who need it most. 

One of the things I am most excited about this year is the launch of our soup kitchen. We are expanding our reach, offering even more support to those who need it. This is just one of the ways AGAPE is growing, and I am humbled to be part of this journey. 

When I look at the work we are doing in the community, I think of the young people who are in a similar position to where I was when I was growing up. I want to be the community auntie I needed back then, the one who shows up, listens, and helps guide them towards something better. I want them to know that no matter where they come from, they have a future filled with possibilities. We all do. And that is what keeps me going, my belief in what we can accomplish together as a community.