Shining a spotlight on mentorship programme
Mount Edgecombe’s Mrs SA finalist encouraged the community to inspire vulnerable children by becoming a Bright Stars mentor.
IN an effort to empower the youth Mrs South Africa finalist, Trisha Poona, is hoping to raise awareness on the Bright Stars Mentorship Programme, a non-profit organisation.
Targeting four children’s homes in the greater Durban community, the programme strives to match volunteer mentors with vulnerable children in need of strong and caring role models to guide and support them.
The Mount Edgecombe resident said she wished to use her platform to encourage more people to join the programme.
“As a mum I always knew I wanted to give back, but I did not know how or where to start. Now, through Mrs SA I want to show people how they can donate their time– a truly precious commodity – as a positive role model, to help guide, inspire and mentor these children, many of whom have been abandoned or orphaned,” she said.
“I strongly believe that a mentor can improve a young person’s self confidence and self worth, and if a person feels confident in him or herself it’s easy to chase and attain your dreams,” she said.
Poona will also be presenting a talk to the children and current mentors within the programme.
There are currently 64 registered mentors in Durban, but they hope to increase that number to 100. A registered mentor is required to dedicate one hour per week for one year.
“Time is the most important resource of this programme. By investing your time and attention you can encourage the children to be the best they can be and to educate and expose them to knowledge and experiences they would otherwise never have known,” said Sandi Bennet of the Bright Stars initiative.
Sandi McCormick, who is a registered mentor said the programme had had a major impact on her life. “It has opened a whole new world to me, and enabled me to connect with a person from another culture. It has been incredibly humbling and rewarding to watch my mentee grow and blossom. She wants to be head girl and go to university,” she said.
- Contact Sandi Bennet via sandi@peaceagency.org.za or Trisha Poona via tpoona@telkomsa.net.
