SOAP KIDZ - Events

49 Girls ready for a weekend of adventure and 30 volunteers pumped up for a lot of action. This was the scene at the Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve on Friday 7 December. Although most kids would by now be on holiday somewhere or leisurely lying around, some of these girls chose to kick off their holiday with this camp while others simply had nowhere else to go.

As usual the girls were divided into teams and shown where there sleeping quarters were. The first activity was to get to know each other and make “bugspray” using citronella oil. The kids then got a lecture on preparing vegetables for a potjie – the first step for the following day’s supper. The teams chose their own vegetables and started the preparations. Unfortunately the lantern crawl rained out, so we all went to bed to get some rest for tomorrow.

Saturday started early for everyone, with Pilates exercises at 6:00. After breakfast, the teams headed out on a 10 km hike to the dam. They had to pick up litter along the way and observe as much detail about the environment around them as they can. Arriving at the dam, they were still full of energy and by now the teams spirits were quite high, with singing and the shouting war cries. The teams then rotated between several base stations, where they took part in foot scrubbing; blindfolded obstacle course; making their own stockbread for lunch; making soap balls and date cookies just to name a few.

After a few hours, the rain came thundering down, and we all jumped in cars and headed back to camp. I’ve never seen so many kids, equipment and volunteers packed in so tightly in 2 minutes flat! Theo opted for a nice bike ride back to camp as he doesn’t mind getting wet. Back at camp the bases were re-assembled and the activities continued. The teams potjies that were started earlier at the dam, where by now cooling down rapidly in the rain over soaking coals, but soon a plan was made and gas cookers came to the rescue. We continued with the base camps until late afternoon.

Still no rest for anyone, as the teams now had to use the remaining hour before dinner to set their tables – using recyclables and things from nature; prepare a concert; design an outfit using plastic bags and cut-up t-shirts; and shower. Dinnertime came and the tables looked amazing! These kids really have a wonderful imagination and sense of style. After the potjies were judged, the teams tucked in and where soon tasting each other’s creations. Each potjie tasted differently as each team chose their own combination of vegetables, herbs, meats and spices to add.

Camp concert was held indoors, as it was raining again. The volunteers opened the evening’s entertainment with a dance, also dressed in plastic bag outfits. The kids roared with laughter when Theodor and Werner appeared in plastic hoola-skirts and tops, with plastic dreads hanging over their fake boobs. In contrast, Elsje and Sharon were dressed as guys and the choreography was a bit shaky, but very enthusiastically executed. After this it was the kids’ turns and they impressed us once again with their original thinking. For those who still had energy left (almost everyone), the evening was ended with a night hike. Theo leapt from the bushes with a laud roar and the girls responded with even lauder screams and giggles once they realised that it wasn’t a wild animal.

Sunday was again packed with activities. Teams had to start the day by finding their cooking utensils in the veldt and cooking their own porridge. Some of the teams got lost and wasn’t very impressed when their tummies started calling. They then learned how to make mobiles; did bird watching; target shooting; and facial scrubs. The camp came to an end too soon with a prize giving for the best teams, followed by a light lunch.

Kids headed home with smiles on their faces, and although they were markedly tired, they kept asking when the next camp was going to be.

I feel we have achieved a lot on this camp, showing the girls what they are capable of and giving them a sense of pride, self-respect, and a strengthened love for nature. Can’t wait for the next camp!

"Hey! Girl!
I wrote this letter or message because I wanted to share my exciting and adventurers trip to camp. I must say my days there were amazing because I made new friends and taught myself how to do Potjie and most of all I did a lot of night hikes even though it was scare and long I still enjoyed it. But (1) one thing I really didn’t like was when we had to wake up early in them morning, but had to sleep very late, but I enjoyed being with my group members event though they were stubborn, had fun "

"Hey! MEMBERS or Bubbies
What wash nice for me is that they learned us more about nature and remember not just about nature also about respek goes a long way.
I hate there exercise
And I loved the hike and all other activities
I wash a little but scared about there animals
Chow Toodles Bay "

"Dear Shakey I wish you were here to have fun whith us. We are habing a ball and we are enjoing it, it is wonderful for me and my team we are doing lots of exciting things doing lots of experimentsments and it was fun we had a fasion show and was one of my vavriout because we had a chance to show our talent and they loved it because it was fun and we had to sing ,dance, model and designh outfits made out of t-shirts and plastic bags we can even have to take photos tis place is the best when we come again maybe next time you can come with!!!!
SEE YOU SOON!!! "

"Hello my friend
I just want to tell you about what I enjoyed and didn’t enjoy on the camp. First of all, I enjoyed the hikes, consert, which was really nice and fun. I also enjoyed the activities that we did, I really learned a lot, like how to make our own bags and how to do facials. What I didn’t enjoy was that we didn’t get enough sleep, besides that, the camp was FANTASTIC!!!! "

"Livie, ek is heir op Roodeplaatdam op ‘n kamp. Dit is nogal lekker hier maar die kos is nie lekker nie. Ek is moeg ons het Gister vroeg opgestaan ek sê jou dit voel of ek net gaan slap het. Ons het baie goed gedoen deur die dag ons eie potjie gemaak en GEWEN ons het ‘n fashion show gehad dit was lekekr. Vanoggend moes ons, ons eie pap maak maar moes dit gaan soek in die bos toe verdwaal ons (ons het die verkeerde pat gevolg) toe eet ons laat. Nou wile k net huis toe gaan.

Maar hulle “treat”ons lekker. Ons het gister vir “feet scrubs”en “face steams”gegaan al die aktiwiteite wat on shier doen is lekker soos ons het nou net klaar vir ons “bangles”gemaak. Ons leer ook baie baie van die natuur, hoe om in die bos te oorleef, nuwe mense leer ken, lesse wat ons in die alledaagse lewe kan toepas. Die kamp is nogal BAIE LEKA "

"Hi There I really enjoyed the camp. It was very fun to walk at night and also the long distins. The potjie kos was very nice and the stokbread.
There were also thing that I didn’t like, like the sop we eat the first night and also waking up so early. The rain did also spoil our fun. That’s all that wasn’t fun. I really loved the camp "

"Hello Friend I just want to tell you about the camp the camp was very nise I enjoy it I liked every thing about the camp everything we did the food, excersize the excersize was nice but the pain ful because we don’t use to do it the walks, games and it help us because we learn a lot about bats that they don’t eat people’s hair the beauty treatment and the wheelchair walking was fun everything was I even met new friend "

"Fun, fun, fun and fun that’s all I can say about the camp it was the best camp ever and I’d like to thank you for making it possible. The weekend was great from washing dishes to hiking for 4.5 km. For everything you did for us this weekend I’d like to say THANK YOU!!!!. All the volunteers and everyone who donated as well as those who just gave a smile or hug thank you to you all it was one holiday camp that stands out in a million….LOVE PROMISE aka SOAPkid "

"I really enjoyed the camp. I hope I can come again someday. I think that you guys are doing a great jobs and lots of kidz love it. I hope you will not give up doing this great stuff you do and that you’ll never change and just be yourself cuz you guys are great. Keep up doing the good work. Merry x-mas and have a great new year "

"To the organizers. I Laurentia would like to greatly and deeply thank you for the wonderful weekend you gave me and most of all I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to make new friends and go beyond my expectations. THANK YOU. Blessed is the hand that gives than the one that relieves and don’t forget to have a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. "

"Thank you very much for everything. I really did enjoy myself. U people are amazing. God will really bless u and everything u have learnd us I will remember. I hope u enjoy ur Chrismas and a Happy New Year. Thank you so much. Ek hoop julle nooi ons weer. "

"It’s a feeling you cannot describe, most of all is having you put a smile on someone’s face is unbelievable. It is an experience I will never forget and always treasure. I can’t wait to come back for more long walks and late nights. It’s all part of the FUN"

"This experience was absolutely amazing. I learn more about myself than expected. The kids taught me the value of gratitude and many more
Suggestions for improvement: None, if the volunteers put the kids first which was done by many, we have reached our objective "

"I found organization to be excellent, to have such a big group and still manage to participate in so many well organized activities was brilliant. I have really enjoyed the transformation of the girls from strangers to friends, they all started a bit shy & self conscious and really came out of their shells by the time concert. The consert was a great team building effort by my team and was enjoyed by each of them. I have enjoyed every second and hope there will be many more camps. I feel like I made a tiny bit of difference in one persons life and that means a lot to both of us. Some of the activities were a bit rushed – not quite enough time to complete tasks"

"It is an experience I’m never going to forget, it was very challenging and tiring but fun at the same time. It was lovely getting to know the girls and watching them interact with each other in different activities. I would do it all again in an heartbeat because nothing was more fulfilling than having this experience."