One in every five youths considers suicide
The message is taken to schools, universities, campuses, corporate companies and churches, to inspire young people
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – The occurrence of teen suicide is becoming more common every year in South Africa according to the Be Your Dream campaign.
The suicide rate for children aged between 10 and 14 years old has doubled over the last 15 years. It has been estimated that one in every five youths considers suicide.
The fastest growing suicide rate is in young people under the age of 35, specifically females between the ages of 15 to 19 years.
But it doesn’t have to be this way, and these statistics can be altered by the Be Your Dream campaign, which is aimed at encouraging young people to believe in themselves.
The campaign also empowers people, especially the youth, to seek assistance when necessary, serving as an early intervention strategy towards promoting emotional wellness and thus saving and improving lives.
Anaïs is taking this message to schools, universities, campuses, corporate companies and churches around the country to inspire young people to reach their potential, and show them that they can do more with their lives when given the right guidance and counselling.
Anaïs and the Be Your Dream Team visited The Hill High School on Thursday September 25. During this visit Anais and her band staged a world-class rock performance for the learners.
Anaïs has initiated the Be Your Dream project in order to create a greater awareness for LifeLine. She is also LifeLine’s national ambassador. As a part of this ambassadorship, she has developed the school outreach program, where she and her team travel to schools across South Africa. They deliver the LifeLine message of hope, support and assistance.
A camera crew from Be Your Dream accompanied Anaïs to the school. The show was filmed and is to be aired on Anaïs’s weekly television show, which appears on KyKNET on Sundays from 17:20 until 18:00. The show also airs on the open view ASTV network and on the HDE decoder.
Her partnership with LifeLine, a non-profit organisation, involves raising awareness for the organisation, as well as peer education.
“You never know whose life you may be saving,” said Anaïs. “I believe that no one can take your dream away. The money raised from the Be Your Dream campaign will go a long way towards ensuring that LifeLine continues its 24-hour counselling line, and enhances the emotional well-being of South Africa’s youth, a service that will go a long way in improving their lives.”
