We all know that there are many physical, emotional, mental and spiritual benefits to a regular yoga practice.  However, after seven years of teaching thousands of children, we are seeing another powerful way yoga is impacting their lives…

For many of the children in Khayelitsha  and Lavender Hill, their weekly yoga class is the only access they have to a safe, nurturing and supportive space.  This gives them an opportunity to connect deeply with themselves and cultivate a real sense of self confidence and awareness.  In addition, for many of these children, their Earthchild yoga teacher is the only person who tells them they believe in them and encourages them to dream big. 

The safe space to connect deeply, together with a positive role model who believes in them, are perhaps the reasons influencing the inspiring young adults the earthchildren are growing up into.

Meet two of our Earthchildren…

Sikelelwa was part of our Programmes for five years.  Now in Grade 12 at a Khayelitsha school, she saw how stressed her peers were with their academic pressures.  Knowing how meditation helped her relax, Sikelelwa started a meditation club at her school.  The group was such a success that the principal even joined them for their weekly sessions!

Anelisa has been part of the Earthchild yoga and worm farming clubs since Grade 3.  Now in Grade 6, we recently found out that she has started teaching yoga to the children in her street every afternoon.  She even approached the principal for the old school carpets so she could provide her students with ‘mats’ rather than the hard tar surface.

For us, this is the true power of yoga!  The power to create a new generation of young leaders whose dreams and ambitions are not to acquire personal wealth and power… a generation whose dreams and ambitions are to live consciously, make a positive difference in their communities and inspire others to do the same.

Just R200 provides 1 child with weekly yoga classes for year.  You can sponsor a little yogi, and Share the Love of Yoga: bit.ly/sharetheloveofyoga