Children gather for a hike and bonfire in KaBokweni

It was a weekend outing filled with joyous laughter, storytelling and music when children gathered for the Bonfire Kiddies Camp.

It took place at the Muz’Wamantungwa Hiking and Campsite in Gutshwa Trust in KaBokweni on Friday June 9 and Saturday June 10.

The camp was organised by Mzwandile Khumalo, the founder of the Bhekilanga Children’s Foundation.

The children arrived on Friday afternoon and enjoyed supper around a bonfire. They also shared stories and sang songs before they headed to bed in the housing units at the campsite.

“They woke up early on Saturday and got ready for the 3.5km hike. They were very excited and a little scared to walk in the bushes, but it was a priceless experience to see their faces filled with joy when they got to the top of the slope,” Khumalo said.

He said the aim of the camp was to give the children a chance to play, socialise with their peers and relax from the hardships of school.

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“The Bonfire Kiddies Camp is a programme that is much loved by the community. We received support from our sponsors, parents, schools and churches, especially the Alliance Church SA.”

He said the foundation is a non-profit organisation that supports and uplifts children. It was founded in 2018.

“The goal is to ensure that most children are afforded adequate standard of living and protected from abuse. We have other various programmes we run at schools and churches.”

Khumalo said they in the process of building the Bhekilanga Children Foundation Centre.

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“We want to make it a second home for children during school holidays and will host seasonal camps at the campsite. The centre will have a playground, a games room, a library and a vegetable garden to plant our own vegetables.”

He urged the community to continue supporting the foundation to develop a safe space for children.