Adventure 4 Change was created to alleviate the impact of poverty on children and youth through providing practical relief, strategies for change and opportunities that build hope and confidence.
We focus on 4 main areas:
- Education and opportunity
- Food and nutrition
- Shelter and safety (clothing, hygiene, protection)
- Relationships and community
Adventure 4 Change takes an asset based approach we precede only when we are confident that we are tuned in with those living in the particular context. Our engagement in any situation is determined in large part by the perceptions and commitments of local or indigenous leadership. We will never go ahead of those who live with the issues and are able to own the solution.
We engage poverty among children and youth in the following ways in a manner determined and in collaboration with local leadership.
We engage the survival needs of children and youth trapped in the cycle of poverty: food, shelter, health, clothing, and safety. Since poverty impacts people at fundamental and basic levels. We are not a relief organization, but we are keenly aware that there exists a time when basic humanity needs must be addressed before it’s possible to engage in more developmental concerns. We are dedicated to serving those who struggle with poverty and will initiate strategies that address immediate needs so we are then able to consider more developmental ones.
Thoughtfully and practically responding to issues of child and youth poverty.
Our Ambition:
To alleviate the impact of poverty on children and youth through providing practical relief, strategies for change and opportunities that build hope and confidence.
Our Focus
Education and opportunity, food and nutrition, shelter and safety (clothing, hygiene, protection), relationships and community.
Our Mission:
Equipping children and youth with the tools required for healthy, vibrant, hopeful and contributing lives.
We provide access to quality education, vocational training and development. Poverty often dictates that youth have access only to inadequate education or must opt out all together at an early age. Access to good education is a proven deterrent to poverty. Where good schools exist we will help our youth enrolled and become successful. Where schools do not exist we will consider, in dialogue with local partnership, the establishment of education facilities and ensure that they are staffed with qualified educators. Access to education and vocational training and the various opportunities that they create are keys to youth feeling hopeful about their futures. Assisting youth to become vital and contributing participants in healthy relationships and community.
Poverty’s eroding impact on self-worth and self-esteem undermines the building of healthy relationships for youth. Relationships are essential to ensure long-term growth and development. It is so very important for the sense of self-worth and self esteem that each youth find an integral and contributing role within relationships.
The very best people to help lead others through and beyond poverty, to address systemic issues and to develop meaningful solutions are often those who have personally felt the impact of poverty. Our engagement with people must include their learning how to use the impact of their experience for the benefit others. This ensures that their learning is sustained and that the movement of change is advanced.
Developing and equipping leaders of change who will go on to replicate and develop this model in other contexts is an essential element of our mission. We welcome those who desire to join is to learn about the process of change. In this way we will help change the dynamic of poverty for increasing numbers of youth in a growing number of contexts.
We are very much a catalyst for change or as some say an ‘incubator of change’. The change we desire to see almost always comes about as a result of people; all kinds of youth, mature men and women, learning and assuming roles of leadership. Leaders demonstrating such qualities as compassion, industry, passion and vision. “Leader” development and leader coaching must then always be a key component of our efforts.
Future of Africa, Waterloo Youth Initiatives, and Better Beginnings Waterloo are the main programs offered by Adventure 4 Change.
