Today on a special edition of Community Conversations of Recovery we are talking to Richmond community members,youth and staff from the Bokamoso Youth Center in Winterveld, South Africa. They share with us their experience at the center as well as art therapy that Becky Jacobson, a local art therapist, brought to the center.

The Bokamoso Life Cetner was started in 1999 in Winterveldt South Africa (a township outside of Pretoria).  The center serves young men and women ages 18-25 years old.  The center started in response to the growing number of young people becoming involved in crime and violence, as well as a rise in teen pregnancy.  Within Winterveldt unemployment is very hight and options often seem limited.  Bokamoso gives hope and purpose to the lives of many young people in the community.  Bokamoso means future in Tswana (one of the 11 official languages of South Africa).   Programs offered at Bokamoso include the: Adolescent Development Program, Love Life Program, Scholarship Program, Performing Arts Program, & Leadership Programs, and more.

Listen to today’s episode here

They close the show with a song  “This little light of mine”

See the video below

For more information:

http://www.bokamosoyouth.org/

http://theatredance.columbian.gwu.edu/south-africa-project to find out more information about the DC performance mentioned in the show as well as to watch some of the documentary