We all have dreams. Each day, we can do something that gets us closer to some of them. For the last few weeks, the Grade 7′s at Red River have been thinking about their own dreams – for their school, their community, their families, but most importantly, for themselves. This is their last year at Red River before they head to college – so Rock Girl has been working with them to think about how to make their dreams a reality.

Two years ago, when we began working with this same group of learners, we asked them to share their dreams. Many of them could not express them and quite a few wanted to be “Rihanna” or “Beyonce” or “Shakira”. Admirable but not easy. This time, after many months of working together to transform their school and community, these same young people shared dreams of “becoming a doctor or nurse so I can help sick people”, and “I want to be a lawyer then the president”, and “I want to be a better person”.

The learners wrote down some of these dreams and put them inside pillows made with fabric donated by the Silk and Cotton Company. They cut, sewed, and glued them together and could take them home to place on their beds. Sadly, a few asked us to keep their pillows as they would not be safe at home.

That’s my dream for now: To ensure that these children and all others are safe at home, at school, and on the streets. I’m going to put it under my pillow tonight.

So…What’s your dream?

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In late 2011, the Red River learners spent a few hours with Heath Nash, South Africa’s preeminent designer of gorgeous creations made from things from rubbish.  To participate, children had to bring in a brightly colored bottle or container from home.  Heath taught the learners how to cut the bottles into shapes to make chandeliers, light covers, and more.  Then he let the children go wild with the scissors and create their own designs.

With nothing more than a pair of scissors, plastic bottles, and a little imagination, the kids created Christmas ornaments, cars, irons, cups, bracelets, and even miniature stiletto heels.  When the “shoe designer” learned that being a shoe designer is a real career, you could almost see the lightbulbs going on in her head.  The children took their creations to the Freeworld Design Centre Christmas Market and sold them, along with paper mache bowls, to raise additional funds for art room supplies.  In early 2012, Heath will return to create two one-of-a-kind chandeliers with them.  One will have pride of place in the art room and the other will be auctioned off online to raise funds for Rock Girl.  Take a look at some of their work….

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