StillWater Kids

Therapy in Motion

NPO:310-916
PBO:930085441

"Children are not things to be molded,

but are people to be unfolded."

- Jess Lair

OUR PURPOSE

Founded in October 2023 in the town of Still Bay, Project Stillwater is a non-profit initiative dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged children aged 7-11 in Melkhoutfontein (outside of Still Bay), Western Cape, South Africa. Our mission is to provide a holistic, year-long intervention that combines supervised sporting activities with regular mental-health interventions, to help children heal, grow, and thrive. The program is designed to combat substance abuse, crime, violence, other negative behaviours and poor decision making by addressing the effects of trauma & learned behaviour.

Program Structure

Project Stillwater runs for 12 consecutive months, enrolling up to 10 children per group. Activities are divided into two main components: monthly supervised sports events and ongoing mental wellness interventions. The staff includes trained coaches, licensed therapists, program coordinators, and volunteers.

Target Population

The program serves children aged 7-11 living in Melkhoutfontein who are identified as underprivileged due to socio-economic factors, family instability, or exposure to trauma. Selection is based on referrals from schools, social workers, and locals from the community. We prioritize children who have experienced domestic violence, loss, neglect, sexual abuse, rape, physical and mental abuse, or parental substance abuse. The demographic is diverse, reflecting the local population, with an emphasis on inclusivity and equal opportunity for boys and girls.

OUR PROGRAMS

SPORTING ACTIVITIES
Part 1

Getting the children out of their circumstances and into nature offers them the freedom to truly be children—laughing, playing, swimming, and learning new skills like paddling. This exposure helps them interact in non-violent ways and fosters positive social development.
Enjoying exercise and fun activities releases “feel-good” hormones, such as endorphins, which counteract anxiety and stress and promote emotional wellbeing. Immersion in cool water tones the Vagus Nerve, supporting a healthier nervous system and further reducing anxiety.
Learning sports gives children a tangible goal to strive for, instilling a sense of achievement and purpose. As part of the program, each child is encouraged to perform one good deed per month and share their experience, reinforcing positive values and self-esteem.
The children will also learn how to set healthy boundaries, follow rules, and take personal responsibility, all while engaging with safe, stable adults who model positive behaviours.
Everyone participates in cleaning the water and sports equipment and assists in loading it for transport, fostering teamwork, responsibility, and respect for shared resources.
Activities are designed to help children focus on positive pursuits, distancing them from reminders of past negative events. Safe, predictable, and enjoyable physical games teach what it feels like to be relaxed and capable, laying the groundwork for healthy emotional regulation.
As children develop the ability to focus on pleasurable activities without becoming disorganised, they gain the capacity to play cooperatively, join group activities, and address more complex challenges in a supportive environment.
Regular exercise and participation in sports are recommended for managing anxiety, depression, and trauma-related symptoms, making these events an essential part of the healing process.
These activities naturally build rapport and trust between the children and staff, creating a solid foundation for effective counselling and TRE sessions.
All events and sessions will have clear rules and appropriate discipline to ensure a safe, structured environment.
The team also teaches vital life-skills, including:
No foul language
Appreciation and gratitude
Respect and good manners
Neatness
Teamwork
Appropriate behaviour
Understanding consequences to actions
Personal hygience classes

MENTAL WELLNESS INTERVENTIONS
Part 2

Counselling (TF-CBT)

Children participate in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) in small groups or individual sessions, led by a licenced health-care practitioner. Children receive food and drink with each session.

Counselling promotes healing from ACE’s (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and sexual abuse.

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) is appropriate for sexually abused children or children exposed to trauma aged 3 to 18. TF-CBT is a specialised counselling Therapeutic Programme as drawn up by the DSD and USAid. It can help children process their trauma and overcome the emotional and behavioural problems that follow sexual abuse and other childhood trauma. It

strengthens the child’s resilience and thus reduce exposure to more risk factors. Psycho-education ensures that they can better understand and cope with their current situation, and past events.

Tension & Trauma Release Exercises (TRE)

A certified practitioner guides children through TRE sessions to help release deep-seated stress and trauma and promote relaxation in weekly sessions.

Trauma (mental, physical, emotional), ACE’s (Adverse Childhood experiences) and chronic stress – all of which can be found in underprivileged children - lead to dysregulated nervous systems and keep them stuck in states of survival. This can have profound effects on their lives. They can develop adaptive strategies and addictions like drugs, alcohol, food and sex to bring relief. It can keep them from connecting to others. Because people they believed to be safe were not safe, they lived in chronic states of unsafety which led to the nervous system not being wired right. TRE rewire and retrain the nervous system. It becomes a self-help tool they can use by themselves.

Equine Therapy

Partnering with a local stable, children engage in equine-assisted therapy. Two sessions per child or as needed. Engaging with horses enhances emotional and cognitive skills, reduces anxiety and increases confidence.

Natural Remedies

Scientifically proven natural remedies for ADD/ADHD and anxiety is administered in certain cases.

THERAPY IN MOTION

CHANGING LIVES

Our anticipated outcomes:

Improved emotional regulation and resilience
Reduction in trauma symptoms and behavioural issues
Enhanced physical health, coordination, and self-esteem
Stronger social bonds and sense of belonging
Empowerment to break cycles of trauma, substance abuse and crime

Our needs:

Funding for staff salaries, equipment, transport, and venue hire
Funding/sponsorships for food
Funding for the daily running of the organisation
Funding for therapy and remedies

OUR PARTNERS:

STILBAAI SURFSKI CLUB
SBPC DEVELOPMENT PADDLERS
JAKES GERWEL TECHNICAL SCHOOL

OUR SPONSORS:

WAYLAND ENGINEERING
STILBAAI SURFSKI SCHOOL
BLESSING & BARGAINS CHARITY SHOP, STILBAAI
HESSEQUA MUNICIPALITY
FLENTERTJIES, STILBAAI
MADI'S NATURAL PRODUCTS, STILBAAI

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ACHIEVE OUR ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES

Stillwater Kids are blessed to have the help of very dedicated volunteers, but we want to broaden our horizons, offer more services and do more sports and therapy sessions with our children. To achieve our goals we need funding to appoint permanent staff members, find a more permanent venue for therapy sessions, buy equipment and reliable transport.

Please consider making a monetary donation to assist Stillwater Kids to take even better care of our children in need.

Thank You.

DREAMS FOR THE FUTURE:

One of the key future dreams includes the development of a dedicated building for Project Stillwater. This facility will be equipped with comprehensive safety features and will include dedicated rooms specifically designed for interventions and ongoing programmes.

In addition, the space will feature a suitable bathroom and a small kitchen to facilitate the safe and hygienic preparation of food for children and staff. These enhancements are aimed at creating a nurturing environment that supports effective therapeutic work and holistic care for all participants.

In line with expanding holistic support for children, several extra programs will be introduced. These include yoga classes tailored for children to promote relaxation and emotional regulation, screenings of educational movies that both entertain and teach, and self-defence classes designed to empower and build confidence.

Additionally, reading initiatives will be launched to encourage a love of books and improve literacy, ensuring children have opportunities for both personal growth and academic advancement.

Art and play therapy therapists and neuro-coaching therapists will provide extra mental-health support as part of the expanded programme. Children participating in the programme will attend the centre three times per week for current therapies (TF-CBT and TRE), and new interventions, which is an increase of the current schedule of once or twice weekly.

To further enrich the sporting programme, swimming lessons will be offered to the children. Following these lessons, professional instructors from the SBPC DEVELOPMENT PADDLERS initiative will provide specialised training. These surfski lessons will be offered to children who have graduated from the year programme, giving them an opportunity to further develop their skills in the sport of surfski’ing. This advanced training aims to encourage continued participation in healthy outdoor activities and promote personal growth among the young participants.