Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Infinite Family: Changing the world one video conversation...and poem...at a time!


Tekomodise loves writing his blogs on Infinite Family’s Ezomndeni Net.  He writes about kind strangers on the streets of Soweto and his adventures with his friends at school, but recently, when his writing took on an angry tone, Infinite Family video mentor Barbara Scott, grew concerned. 

Barbara knew that Tekomodise would arrive breathless at their weekly video conversations, having run to the computer lab all the way from school.  Barbara knew that their 30 minutes together each week was so precious that Tekomodise didn’t want to miss a minute.

When Tekomodise began to share his sadness and loneliness, Barbara wanted to find something she could give him, some present that would carry him through their time apart to encourage him when he felt most hopeless.

So Barbara wrote Tekomodise a poem.  As Infinite Family’s gift to you this holiday season, we would like to share with you Tekomodise’s present from Barbara, her poem. 

Tekomodise’s Present


There was a young man sitting on the steps all alone,  

He was angry at his life and he did not want to go home.


He felt no one understood him or cared about his needs,


He thought no one cared for him - his anger planted a seed.


A seed of fear, hatred and pain started to grow in his heart,


A feeling of sadness and loneliness seemed to never part.


Until one day God sent his Net Buddy, a forever friend far away, 


To bring the young man love and joy each and every Saturday.


His mentor wants to help him dream big dreams for tomorrow,


Think of all the possibilities of happiness with no more sorrow.


She wants to be there to share with him, experience and teach,


And tell him of all the opportunities that are close - within reach.


She knows that there is hope for brighter days to come,


Because she was once a little girl sitting on the steps all alone.


She had not many friends and a shack that she called home, 


No money for shoes, for games, or for fun.


But one day God blessed her with a mentor to call her own,


He taught her about all the things she could become when she was grown.


He believed in her future, before she believed it herself,


And now she lives her dreams and offers her Net Buddy help.


Dreams do come true, 


Faith replaces fear, 


Tekomodise, my dear Net Buddy, in my heart you are near.


Please consider giving this holiday season to support the relationships between struggling young teenagers in South Africa and generous and kind adults around the world.  Help Infinite Family change the world with one video conversation – and one poem -- at a time. 



 Wishing you and all you love a very joyous holiday season
   from Infinite Family! 


Thursday, December 9, 2010

British Telecommunications Refurbishes New Infinite Family Computer Lab at Nkosi's Haven Village!






BT HELPS CHILDREN AND MOTHERS OF NKOSI’S HAVEN IN SOUTH AFRICA REACH FOR A BETTER FUTURE

BT South Africa today announced the official opening of a communications centre at the Nkosi’s Haven Village for HIV positive mothers and children in Alan Manor, south of Johannesburg.
            The brand new BT-sponsored facility provides resident teenagers with video-conferencing technology enabling them to chat with their mentors and buddies around the world, share photos and video and get help with homework remotely by using modern collaboration tools.
            The Nkosi’s Haven communications centre has been developed in partnership with Infinite Family, a US-based organisation that connects children infected or orphaned by HIV/AIDS with adult video mentors in South Africa and around the world using a secure Internet platform. More than 50 children from the Nkosi’s Village will take part in the programme.
The facility will also be used to train up to 30 mothers in computer skills, broadening their chances of finding employment outside of Nkosi’s Haven.
Keith Matthews, general manager, BT South Africa, said at the opening ceremony, “BT is proud to be involved in this project as it reaches the most vulnerable in our society. The project enables youngsters to significantly improve their career prospects by acquiring much needed computer skills. It is a logical continuation of our local involvement and builds on the previous work BT has done in the education area.”
 Gail Johnson, founding director of Nkosi’s Haven, believes the new facility will augment  the children’s ability to communicate confidently and effectively with their Net Buddies from all walks of life.
Gail Johnson said, “Nkosi’s Haven is grateful for BT’s generous sponsorship. This new facility will help our kids stay in touch with their Infinite Family-approved mentors whose life training skills will improve their confidence and will equip them to overcome some of their disadvantages. Internet mentoring provides our kids with an opportunity to make many new friends around the globe and to broaden their horizons which will assist in making their lives a success.”
Amy Stokes, founder and executive director of Infinite Family, said: "Nkosi's Haven was our first, and is our strongest South African NGO partnership.  We love these children like our own and have been thrilled to watch them grow over the past four years from shy and confused teens into confident and vibrant young adults.  It is an honour to work and 'expand the family' with Nkosi's Haven and BT."
In addition to providing personal computers and networking equipment valued at R100,000 BT also made available its telepresence room at the company’s Bryanston office. Telepresence is a modern video conferencing technology that creates an illusion of the meeting participants being in the same room by deploying high-definition video and sound. Infinite Family and Nkosi’s Haven will use telepresence to conduct high-level group mentoring.
Keith Matthews added, “BT’s South African staff have rallied together to make this facility a success. Two weeks ago many of our staff volunteered to paint this facility inside and outside. It was a great opportunity for them to interact with the mothers and kids and to try and envisage the challenges that they live with and to appreciate how this new facility will impact on their lives.”
- ends -

About BT
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in more than 170 countries.  Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services.  BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2010, BT Group’s revenue was £20,911 million.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group.  BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. 

For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt


About Nkosi’s Haven
Inspired by Nkosi Johnson and founded by his foster mother Gail Johnson, Nkosi’s Haven and Friends opened its first doors in Berea, Johannesburg in 1999. The Nkosi’s Haven projects include: the urban facilities of Nkosi’s Haven and Friends and Nashua Nkosi’s Haven in Berea, the semi-urban Nkosi’s Haven Village in Allan Manor, and the rural Nkosi’s Haven Farm near Vereeniging. The Nkosi’s Haven projects can accommodate 350 HIV-infected mothers and children. All educational, medical and nutritional needs are met by the projects. Nkosi’s Haven is a registered NGO 008 - 995 and is audited by KPMG. The annual financial statements are available on request.

For more information, visit  http://www.nkosishaven.org/


About Infinite Family
Infinite Family is an international organization that inspires and motivates teens and pre-teens with very limited resources or support networks in South Africa, so they build the confidence, skills and global perspective that promote success.  A secure, highly-interactive online environment supports the video conversations between “Net Buddies,” adult video mentors and South African mentees.  Almost 300 South African teens and pre-teens have worked with video mentors to improve their academic, communication, technological and life skills since the organization was founded in 2006 by Amy Stokes. Infinite Family is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity in the United States.  Registration as a South African NGO is pending.  Annual financial statements are available upon request.

For more information, please visit www.infinitefamily.org  and view our videos at http://www.youtube.com/infinitefamily