Stakeholder Partner Adams & Adams’ Darren Olivier – also a trustee of The CEO SleepOut Trust – says; “Importantly, a breakdown of how the funds will be used had to be approved by the GBT Board, The CEO SleepOut Trust and the appointed Working Group to ensure it meets the objectives of creating five pillars of sustainable assistance; these being shelter, nutrition, education, healthcare and community.

“The community pillar is a uniquely South African addition to The CEO SleepOut brand’s usual four pillars.” Olivier added that the pillars would now underpin GBT’s Legacy Projects, in deference to how they came about and ongoing implementation.

“This is a moment in our history that we will never forget because through the event our children, those cared for by other similar organisations and those living on the streets – young and old – have become visible,” said GBT’s CEO Lee Loynes.

“Our purpose at GBT is encapsulated in one sentence,” says Loynes; “That is, ‘empowering our vulnerable youth to shine.’” To effect this through the Legacy Projects, Loynes says that they will apply the five GBT SHINE goals of significance, home, independence, nurture and education. The envisaged amounts per project are as follows:

Significance - Develop a sense of self-worth and unique value; R1-million (3.8% of the R26.4-million) will be attributed to designing specific and strategically planned extramural activities and developing GBT children's unique talents.

Home - Provide the safety of home and family and the ability to function in one; R7.9-million (30% of funds) will convert open sleeping spaces into family-style living units, and fall under the Shelter pillar. Work will begin in November 2015 and continue into early 2017.

Independence - Develop the courage and skills to fare in the world; R10.4-million (39.5% of funds) will see Girls & Boys Town transform programmes that heal and develop independent young people, as well as refining staff skill sets, in-line with our ground-breaking research outcomes.

Nurture – Community outreach designed to develop the sensitivity to care for self and others; R3-million (11.4% of funds) will be spent on organisational and youth outreach programmes which will positively impact the quality of life for street children in shelters, disadvantaged schools and struggling families; and form part of the pillars of Education, Health and Community.

Education - Develop the knowledge and practical skills to compete; R1.7-million (6.4% of funds) will be spent on a remediating and home-school model to educate unprepared children and provide learning facilities to help them SHINE in classrooms. Education, Nutrition and Community are the pillars supported by this initiative, and the project will run from November 2015 to December 2017. A further R2.4-million (8.9%) will be used to purchase safe multi-passenger vehicles between November 2015 and March 2016, to enable GBT to transport their young charges to school and community events; and will enable GBT to facilitate all pillars.

Illumination is not a part of these children’s lives when they first arrive at GBT, Loynes says. “We know that abandonment, abuse, violence and rape are some of the reasons for the lights going out in our children. We also understand that rage, addiction, alienation and suicide are a few of the paths that some youth may choose to cope with overwhelming challenges.

“We at GBT create safe environments, relationships and goal focused interventions to empower the young entrusted to us to overcome and shine again.”

For more information, visit www.theceosleepoutza.co.za. Alternatively connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.