For the Budding Writers Out There

The Altmont High School Students Are Ready

   If their attentiveness and enthusiasm at the launch of the 'STOP RAPE CAMPAIGN' at their school this past Friday(1st March) is any indication, these pupils are ready to "STOP RAPE NOW!!!". 

   The 'STOP RAPE INITIATIVE' is a project that has been started by the Department of Basic Education(DBE) in partnership with LEAD-SA. It is a campaign that is meant to raise awareness about rape and all other forms of gender-based violence.

   According to the DBE and Lead-SA, this campaign is designed to be more than just talk. Learners in all schools across South Africa will also be educated through booklets and worksheets on how to recognize signs of physical abuse of the sexual nature and how to deal with rape itself.

    The Feel Good Movement was invited to be part of the national launch of this campaign at our local high school - Altmont Technical High. The Principal started the ball rolling by telling the pupils the reason for the special assembly of that day. Then there was a talk given on the subject of rape by the South African Police Service(SAPS) Youth Desk. A School Governing Body(SGB) member then rounded things up. Finally, the students were led in saying a special pledge. 

   All in all, I can say that this launch at Altmont High went off splendidly.

                                       Many Thanks to the Following:

- Ntate Molefe(the Principal) - for leading us kindly.
- Ma'am Baloyi(the Deputy Principal) - for guiding us.
- Bra Duma(the Deputy Principal)) - for filming this Altmont High launch.  
- Komati Mashile(the chief organizer) - for his MC duties.
- Ausi Mpho(SAPS Youth Desk) - for her talk on 'What is Rape?'.
- Ausi Mosa Mkhwane(gender-based violence counsellor) - for helping us say the pledge.                                                                                                                                                

- Ntate Kumalo(SGB member) - for urging those engaging in rape to 'stop and desist'.

- The Altmont High School pupils and staff members - for being such hospitable hosts.

P.S.
                          The ''STOP RAPE NOW!!!'' Pledge

We the learners pledge:
- To uphold the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which means defending human rights, including children's rights.  

- To respect the laws of this country which make rape a crime.

- To respect everybody's rights irrespective of race, age, class, gender or sexual orientation.

- To condemn all forms of physical abuse, including rape.

- To act in our best interest and report cases of physical abuse, especially rape.

- To carry out our responsibilities in protecting children from harm.

                               =============================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                     =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

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"Hilton Botha is not the State's Case"

The DREAMS DO COME TRUE Tour - Part 13, ABSA - Protea Gardens mall

   Doing a DDCT presentation on St. Valentines Day was always going to be a challenge. How do you flavour the talk in such away that you please the ladies on their day, but do not - at the same time - dilute too much the core message of goal achievement?

   In the end, I think we did manage to strike a balance. The ladies in the house and those who don't care much for this day were happy at the conclusion of the talk.

   Here are more notable things from this gig:

    - The 'Reading from the Book' session with this ABSA group was one of the best that I have ever experienced. The voices were united, strong and full of oomph. It felt like the whole of South Africa was reading with me. The memory of the 'No..oooooooooo' chorus still gives me goose bumps. "Nice one, ABSA." 

   - Bra Mandla turning out to be a good motivator himself. His pre-talk and post-talk remarks were very good, I thought. The bit about him acting like a manager long before he became one was very funny, and inspiring too.  

    - When members of the audience start filming the presentation on their cellphones and tablets, it is flattering of course. But is this filming a reflection of the value of the talk? Because, honestly speaking, I am still trying to get my act together on this motivational talks thing. 

  

                                                    SOME THANK YOU's  

- Bra Mandla(the manager) - for the 'go ahead'.

                                             - for buying our book(FEELING GOOD).

- Shirley Masia - for working tirelessly to make this gig happen.

- ABSA staff  members - for helping to make this Valentine Day talk memorable. 

                                       ============================

                                                                   

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                            =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

      

                                        

     

                        

The DREAMS DO COME TRUE Tour - Part 12, Nedbank - Maponya mall

   Water is a life saver.
I learned the true meaning of that statement during this Nedbank gig. Playing large in my mind, when I recall this presentation, is an image of yours truly frequently reaching for a glass of water.                 
For some reason my throat kept getting dry. So dry that I could not continue speaking. After each sip I was then able to continue talking. 
   The glass of water, plus the fact that I now know my material well, helped me to put across my message of goal achievement relatively well, given my throat/voice challenges. As to the cause of the dry throat, I still have no idea.
   Besides being able to finish the presentation in spite of my speaking problems, there was one other notable positive about this presentation. Ausi Portia opened proceedings by reading a 
poem('Surely Not?') from our book. This poem was inspired by the excellent service I once received at our local Pick'n Pay. The poem is a plea to other supermarket employees to also up their game.

                                                  SOME THANK YOU's
- Ausi Portia(the manager) - for the permission and the public recital.
- The staff members - for bearing with my hiccups here and there.  
                                   
                                   ==========================                                      
            

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                      =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================

      


                                        
     
        

A Guest Pastor Impressing Again at Grace Bible Church

   After a BIG disappointment, you normally don't want to do anything constructive. You just want to wallow in your misery and forget a little about the outside world.

   This was how yours truly felt this morning after our national soccer team - Bafana Bafana - were knocked out of the AFCON(Africa Nations Cup) last night. They lost to Mali on penalties in a quarterfinal game. This game was a draw(1-1) after the end of regulation time.

   I came very close to abandoning my plan to attend a church service at Grace Bible Church this morning. I wanted to sleep and sleep, in order to dull the pain from last night's loss.

   In retrospect, I am glad I dragged myself out of bed to go to church. I would have really missed out. Today's sermon by Pastor Bill Hybels - who is visiting from the Willow Creek Community Church in the USA - was totally out there(the stratosphere of church sermons).

   The content of the sermon in itself was very good. It was about the '4 Warnings on the Use of Words' from Solomon(the wisest man that ever lived). Briefly, No 1 - Speak few words. Do not speak quickly and all the time; No 2 - Make sure you speak words that are true. Do not lie; 

No 3 - Be gentle with your words. Do not be harsh when you address others no matter how angry you may be; and No 4 - Use life giving words. Your words must build someone up and not tear them down. Say phrases like ' I believe in you', 'I am proud of you', 'I trust you', 'I love you' etc, more often. 

   But what really took my breath away about this sermon was Pastor Bill's technique in delivering this sermon. It was a master class in public speaking.

   No matter how interesting the content of your speech may be, people's minds do drift while listening. This drifting can easily lead to boredom, which can then lead to falling asleep(for those of us who stayed up late last night watching the penalties shootout in the Bafana game). The trick is to keep your audience engaged throughout. And this Pastor Bill did to perfection. He did it in several ways.

   Firstly, he used humour. He started by telling us one or two funny anecdotes about how he ended up giving this sermon at GBC today. Something about him believing in 'free speech'. Laughter here and there helped to hold our attention.

   Secondly, he made us say things and do things. If we were not saying stuff after him("We are proud of  you Pastor Mosa Sono"- on the eve of his consecration), we were looking at our immediate neighbour as we mouthed phrases("I believe in you", "I love you"...). This saying and doing resulted in much mirth among congregation members. 

   Finally, for each point the Pastor made, he gave real examples from his own personal life. This helped to make the message he wanted to put across come alive. It made it a real, living thing.

                            ============================== 

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                   =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

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The DREAMS DO COME TRUE Tour - Part 11, FNB - Maponya mall

   When the manager introduces one by saying, "Thapelo is a very good motivational speaker", it is humbling. But it also raises the stakes. It puts one under pressure to perform, in order to live up to this top billing.

   I need not have worried about my performance though, in this particular talk. My ancestors were with me. It was one of those instances where everything fell into place the way I had  expected it. I flowed during this presentation. And the FNB staff came with me. There was so much energy and excitement during this talk that by the end of it, the house was jumping.

   Of course these observations are my own assessment of the talk. But even if they are off the mark, they can't be too far off. Because the smiles and the big, warm and lingering hugs after the talk told the same story.

                                                 SOME THANK YOU's 

Bra Charles( the manager) - for the permission to do this talk.

                                             - for the stimulating intellectual discussions.

                                            - for buying a copy of our book( FEELING GOOD)

The staff ( bo Khethiwe et al ) - for a VERY, VERY WARM EMBRACE.

                                       ==========================

THANK YOU UNIVERSE. THANK YOU FOR OUR 'FEEL GOOD MOMENTS'.

                                         =======================

SO, SOUTH AFRICA AND THE WORLD OUT THERE, WHAT MADE YOU FEEL

GOOD THIS WEEK?

Let us know at - feelgoodmovement@gmail.com

=====================================