LoveLife Trust 4639 views

Since its launch in 1999, loveLife has been obsessed with improving the lives of young people – first through the prevention of HIV infection and now including holistic youth development. ’.

In its 18 years of existence, the organisation has touched the lives of millions of youngsters – last year alone the organisation’s programmes reached 1.8 million people in communities in all nine provinces in South Africa.

With over 60% of the country’s population being made up of young people, we believe that if we address the issues facing the youth in a fundamental way we can unleash and unlock tremendous potential that lies within in them.

We have an amazing, credible platform to speak to the hearts and minds of young people – to power a future through the energies of young people. There is a bright future for this country, and it is in the hands of the youth who should, whatever the circumstances, never sacrifice their potential on the bedrock of personal or historic disadvantage.

So loveLife has the potential to really change the experience of the youth in this country –we believe that each young person is born with the potential to succeed, to be anything that they want to be provided they have the support and encouragement to do so. But social ills including unemployment, gender-based violence, substance and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy, and HIV infection, among others, continue to place young people at risk. To address through the use of its innovative programmatic approaches, loveLife continues with its strategic objectives of:

• Reducing HIV infection among young people;
• Reducing teen pregnancy;
• Keeping young girls in school; and
• Improving employment opportunities for young people.

This not-for-profit organisation addresses the individual, societal and structural drivers of high-risk behaviour through combining multimedia campaigns, community-level outreach, clinical and psycho-social services.Our leadership programmes are implemented by a national youth volunteer corps known as groundBREAKERs and mpintshis. These change agents work in more than 8000 schools nationwide from 900 bases in loveLife Y-Centres, youth-friendly clinics, and social franchises.Our new brand offering, Powering the Future, positions youth leadership as the dynamo for future growth and sustainability. Youthfulness, action, passion and innovation are our values – anchoring all that we do.Major funding for loveLife is from the National Department of Health, the National Department of Social Development and Sport and Recreation South Africa. Additional funding is provided by Mpumalanga Department of Social Development, North West Department of Social Development, Anglo American, Berco Express, Royal Bafokeng Nation, Volkswagen, KfW, National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Trust, The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the National Youth Development Agency and Football for Hope.