SESSION TWO: Promoting self-awareness and building healthy relationships

Individuals between the ages 13-22 are in their adolescent stage, and are faced with a number of challenges one of which is low self-esteem and self-confidence. Individuals with low self-esteem always have negative opinions about themselves. They have challenges with accepting their physical attributes, more especially girls. They believe that they are not physically attractive or dislike a particular part of their body because it is not of the ideal body image perpetuated by society. They also find it difficult to interact with others, they feel awkward, shy, and have challenges with adequately expressing themselves when interacting with others. This makes it challenging for them to build healthy relationships with others as they are always withdrawn and prefers being by themselves.

Under the theme: Self-awareness, identity, and managing self and relationships. WLSA in partnership with CWT hosted its second GEP and BEP session on 05 June 2021 at Gaegolelwe Adult Centre in Atteridgeville. The purpose of this session was to provide the beneficiaries the platform to identify their own emotions, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, love themselves as they are and develop a healthy relationship with themselves and others with the below learning outcomes:

Identifying and building on strengths
Overcoming low self-esteem and self-confidence
Reinforcing positive affirmations
Exploring identities
Exploring emotions
Understanding non-verbal behaviour
Responding appropriately to others' emotions/non-verbal behaviour
Managing emotions

The beneficiaries engaged in a mirror activity where they were encouraged to look themselves in the mirror, think positively about what makes them who they are, and express what they see. The beneficiaries were encouraged to not only speak on physical attributes, but also reflect and become aware of the attributes that they were previously not aware of. This activity allowed them to reinforce the positive thoughts in their minds – by thinking about themselves and their attributes positively it helps heighten their self-esteem.

Commenting on the activity, one of the beneficiaries expressed: “I am looking at myself in this mirror and I see a beautiful young girl, with beautiful eyes, who has a beautiful heart. I see someone with so much ambition and I am going to make it in life. I want to be a teacher when I grow up and educate children, looking at this mirror I am already a teacher”.

In efforts to foster good personal hygiene for an increased positive self-esteem, confidence, we provided 30 dignity packs with the help of our generous donors and selfless good-doers. Each dignity pack included two packs of sanitary towels for the GEP beneficiaries, a roll-on, toothpaste and toothbrush, body lotion, bath soap for both the GEP and BEP beneficiaries that would last them for two months.