13/06/2026
What happens when children create a space where other children feel safe enough to ask for help?
Five years ago, a small support group began at Percy Mdala High School for fatherless boys seeking connection and belonging.
Today, it has become something extraordinary.
As part of KILT’s Life Skills Programme, and with the care of dedicated educators, the group has grown into a community where young people build confidence, develop essential life skills and form meaningful relationships. It now welcomes both girls and boys of all ages.
But perhaps its greatest achievement is this:
Children refer themselves. Friends notice when someone is struggling and encourage them to join. Older children mentor younger ones. Adults are there to guide and support, but the young people themselves lead.
What started as a programme has become a culture of belonging.
One of the original members has even returned to the school as a staff member, giving back to the very community that helped shape their future.
The true success of this group isn’t measured only by how many children attend.
It’s measured by the fact that the children themselves have become the leaders, the guides and the support system for one another.
Change doesn’t always begin with adults. Sometimes it begins when one young person decides another doesn’t have to face life alone, and together they create something bigger than themselves.
