On the 19th November 2025 our annual Spirit of Adventure Camp kicked off. For many of our primary school participants, this 3-day adventure, as well as being their first camp experience, was their very first time away from home. All the pupils were grade 7 girls and boys from 4 rural schools in the Valley of 1000 Hills, in KwaZulu-Natal. These pupils were selected for their commitment to their schooling and their educational achievements.
Imagine the mixture of nerves and curiosity as they stepped into this new world, ready to learn, explore, and grow. The camp was designed to empower them with vital life skills in a fun and supportive environment.
Their adventure began with breakfast at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust. They then travelled to the beautiful and wild Shongweni Dam – the Spirit of Adventure base camp, where a series of challenges awaited them over the weekend, from abseiling to rafting, obstacle races and kayaking. With these challenges, they learned crucial lessons in life skills:
- Facing Challenges: How they can be mastered by working as a team.
- Learning life skills: From growing self-confidence to leadership.
- Building Bonds: The incredible connections made with their peers.
Rafting: The Power of Collaboration
Building and navigating their own rafts was a powerful lesson in teamwork. It required every child to work together with their peers, pooling their ideas and energy to ensure their creation would float and steer successfully. They learned essential new skills and saw the immediate rewards of collective effort on the water!
Abseiling: Facing the Unknown
Abseiling tested their courage like nothing else. Stepping over the edge meant overcoming fears and taking a huge personal leap. This activity taught them the important life lessons of; trust (relying on the equipment and their teammates), preparation (understanding the importance of safety measures and training) and responsibility (taking ownership of their actions and equipment).
Their success in all the activities significantly boosted their confidence and equipped them with valuable new skills they can carry into their daily lives.
This is what one of the participants had to say:
“Hello everyone, I’m here to tell you about the camp. It was nice and scary at the same time and we learned about many things like the nature of teamwork. We had so much fun and we are thankful for that.”
Navigating life’s obstacles and choppy waters are themes that translate well through our annual Spirit of Adventure camp activities. Looking back at the camp, it wasn’t just about the adrenaline of scaling the dam wall, or the splash of the river. For our young learners from rural South Africa, these challenges served as a powerful metaphor for the journeys they face every day.
The winding path
The obstacle course was a true test of mental and physical agility. Crawling through dark tunnels offers lessons in moving forward even when the way ahead isn’t clear. Swinging across climbing frames requires finding the strength to “hang on” during difficult transitions.
Lessons from the water
When our campers built their rafts, they weren’t just lashing logs together; they were learning that to stay afloat in “choppy waters”, you need a solid foundation of trust and co-operation.
Overcoming the vertical
Scaling and abseiling the dam wall taught them that even the most daunting obstacles can be overcome with the right preparation and support.
By proving to themselves that they can navigate a river or conquer a height, they are building a ‘toolkit’ of resilience to carry into their futures.
Our Trustee Rebekka Stredwick said, “They’ve built an internal toolkit of strength and teamwork, leaving with a toolkit full of precious life lessons.”
In the spirit of togetherness, this camp is all about learning, leadership, and building confidence whilst having fun! Along with all the planned activities, there is also time for rest and relaxation around the campfire, a chance to really cement those new friendships.
HACT SA said, “This is the true impact of partnership: uplifting young hearts, expanding minds, and empowering the next generation to believe in what’s possible.”
We would like to thank everyone who helped to make this camp such a success:
A really big shout out to the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust in South Africa (HACT SA) and their fantastic HIV Education and Prevention team who organised the trip and helped run the activities. We are particularly grateful to Lady Love Msomi, Peer Education Coordinator, and to Pemla Mtshali the overall Education Programme Manager at HACT SA, both of whom made sure everything ran smoothly.
A big thank you to the Spirit of Adventure and their awesome facilitators who led the activities and ensured the children were well looked after.
Thank you to the parents and teachers who enabled the children to participate.
And a huge high five to the children themselves for being such fab participants — you rock!!
And of course, thanks to all of you, OUR DONORS! We couldn’t do any of this without your amazing support!
If you would like to help make sure that these wonderful camps continue into the future, then please donate here, your support is everything!
Bank transfer details:
Account name: The Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust
Account number: 80896799
Sort code: 20 29 77
Note: We are a UK Registered Charity. If you are a UK taxpayer, consider UK Gift Aid, which means we receive from the UK government (HMRC), an additional 25% on top of your donation. And if you are a UK company, you can also qualify for tax relief on your donation.
Thank you from all at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust UK.
Photo credits: HACT SA
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We are a registered UK charity raising funds to support children impacted by HIV and AIDS and rural township schools. All money raised goes directly to the projects.