For many young learners, each day is a battle against instability and overwhelming challenges, leaving them in a constant state of fear or stress due to experiences such as loss, neglect, and exposure to abuse, violence, or poverty. The Star Foundation, in partnership with Community Keepers are dedicated to breaking this cycle and providing meaningful mental health support.

In the heart of Bonnievale, there exists a quiet struggle—one that is not seen but deeply felt by the children of seasonal farmworkers. They wake up to hardship, arrive at school with heavy hearts, and return home to an environment where their struggles persist. These learners have no access to mental health care services or resources to assist them in coping with the traumas they are exposed to daily.

When trauma is left unaddressed, it can lead to high-risk behaviours, school dropouts, and an ongoing cycle that is difficult to escape. At The Star Foundation, we believe no child should face these struggles alone. That’s why, in partnership with Community Keepers, we launched a 12-month campaign to support the implementation of psycho-social support services in 11 schools in the Bonnievale region of the Western Cape – reaching 3,377 learners and their caregivers.

Community Keepers is a non-profit organization focused on improving mental health in schools. They provide counselling and life skills programs to create a lasting culture of wellbeing. Through their well-established C.A.R.E. approach - Counselling, Anchoring, Resilience, and Education – learners receive vital on-site support at school. Trained Care Facilitators provide immediate emotional support, while professional Care Practitioners (such as social workers, counsellors and psychologists) offer specialized help for more complex cases.

The Star Foundation is proud to be contributing R500,000 to the implementation of this vital programme in Bonnievale– helping ensure that mental health support becomes a consistent, accessible resource in the lives of the learners who need it most. By providing a safe space and the right tools to ensure wellbeing, the partnership will help children process trauma, heal, and start dreaming again.

Together with Community Keepers, we are restoring hope, nurturing resilience, and igniting a movement for lasting change to enable a brighter, healthier future for thousands of young people.