The Blaqpearl Foundation is nudging one Beacon Valley teen sister at a time by having them apply to participate in workshops using their creative talents to learn and develop life skills.
Last week the one-year-old foundation launched its Sisters with Attitude Campaign by recruiting girls, aged between 14 and 19, from Beacon Valley, who want to be more self-aware, confident, develop their artistic expression; promote social entrepreneurship and further opportunities with life skills through music, theatre and fashion design.
Janine Overmeyer, 35, foundation co-director and Sisters with Attitude project manager, said she was grateful that she was able to do what she was passionate about.
Also known as Blaq Pearl, she is a theatre, music and poetry performer: “I love music. I love people. I love communicating.”
The projects focus on the talents, including music, poetry, storytelling, writing, dancing and theatre of young men and women, who will be taught professional skills in these arts categories by meeting professionals in these fields and create the platform to share their talents and skills.”
Costume jewellery designer Frankie Herwels, from Elsies River, offers her expertise with production styling to teach style and fashion, which she has done with the productions, Storie van my Lewe and Krotoa van Vandag.
“I understand colour, layout and architecture. So, I do a bunch of things and it all comes down to one thing, which is to teach,” she said.
Playwright Chenal Kock, from Beacon Valley, whose production In die Woud was winner of the Kanna award for the Best Children’s Theatre Production – an inaugural award and a category that was judged by a children’s panel (“Take a bow,” Plainsman, June 28) is also on board.
“I am a mixed but not fixed creative artist and the art discipline that I will be focusing on is on theatre and also working with the body and delving into physical theatre,” she said.
Singer Adlynne Fredericks, a social worker by trade, will be doing music coaching with the girls.
Ms Overmeyer and her husband Shane, a champion South African table tennis player, co-direct the foundation which aims to transform and uplift communities through life skills, sport and arts.
This campaign is headed by professional coaches in each of the disciplines who will act as older “sisters” to the 60 chosen teens.