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Your country is <b>United States</b> so currency auto changed to <b>US Dollars</b>
We began the year by strengthening our team with new additions who bring energy and care to our work:
At the same time, we expanded into a new community — Lavender Hill, led by our coaches Dewalt and Inga.
Together, these milestones reflect our continued commitment to growing both our internal capacity and our reach, ensuring that more children have access to safe, supportive spaces to develop emotional awareness and resilience.
Where resilience begins
This quarter, we launched the Inner Lion Starter Programme — a 4-session introductory mental health curriculum designed to help children build emotional awareness and resilience through storytelling, play, and guided conversation.
Focused on schools and community organisations, the programme allows us to reach more children while laying a strong foundation for their wellbeing.
We are currently piloting the programme, with a strong start at Molo Mhlaba in Khayelitsha, where we reached 30 learners across Grades 4 and 7.
Learners who complete the Starter Programme can continue their journey through our full Inner Lion Programme and after-school workshops.
To learn more or partner with us, please reach out to [email protected]
Our implementing partners officially began delivering the Inner Lion Programme within their organisations.
This marks an important step in scaling our impact — equipping more community spaces to integrate mental health and emotional development into their work with young people.
This quarter, our 2025 Cohort 3 fellows came together for their first booster session — a space to reflect, reconnect, and continue their journeys as mental health advocates.
One of our fellows shared how this journey is helping them recognise the importance of working through their own unconscious barriers in order to show up fully for their communities.
This reflection speaks to the heart of the fellowship — supporting young leaders to grow both personally and as advocates for others.
We are excited to share that applications for our 2026 Cohort 4 are now open, as we continue to grow a network of youth leaders committed to mental health and community wellbeing.
This quarter, 132 children graduated from our programmes across communities.
A key highlight from these graduations was the increase in parent involvement and engagement — a powerful reminder that lasting impact is rooted not only in the child, but in the family and wider community.
This quarter, we hosted our annual Little Lions Loop, where over 150 people gathered at the foot of Lion’s Head in support of children’s mental health.
Together, we raised R36,020.
More than just a 5km walk, the Loop was a powerful reminder that children’s mental health matters — and that meaningful change happens when community comes together.
Funds raised will support our work in communities including Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, and Langa, helping us provide safe spaces, emotional tools, and resilience-building workshops for children.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who showed up, contributed, and continues to walk this journey with us.
It takes a village. It takes a Pride.
This quarter also created space for storytelling and reflection through our involvement in the Themba play at the Zabalaza Festival.
The production offered a powerful exploration of lived experiences, identity, and resilience — themes deeply aligned with our work in supporting children’s mental health and emotional development.
At Little Lions, our impact is driven by the dedication of our coaches and fellows — those who show up daily to support children’s mental health.
This quarter, we are proud to partner with Cornerstone Institute through the Give Back 100 Campaign, providing funded bursaries to fellows who have been excluded from higher education.
Through this partnership, our fellows are gaining access to tertiary education — strengthening their ability to grow as leaders, role models, and changemakers within their communities.
“When we invest in people, we strengthen not only their futures but the future of the communities they serve.”
By building the capacity of those at the heart of our work, we are ensuring that Little Lions remains sustainable, community-rooted, and equipped for long-term impact.
As we move into the second quarter, we are excited for what lies ahead.
We look forward to:
Thank you for being part of our journey as we continue to nurture emotionally resilient young leaders.