First, let us welcome Reverend Wilma Jakobsen back at Volmoed! For those who do not know, Wilma is a member of our leadership team and has been a major supporter of VYLTP over the last few years.
WhatsApp weekly update: 4–8 August 2025
Author: edwinarrison
WhatsApp weekly update, 28 July-1 August 2025
The 10/10/10 campaign is picking up speed
- How do I say thank you enough for great support and for believing in the work and vision of VYLTP? A wonderful young dominee, Bonganjalo Mbenenge from Jo’burg, pledged and paid R1000 towards the 10/10/10 campaign! Thank you so much my godson! Thank you also to several others who have given over the past month and more, especially the Gambale family and others.
- Our young people have also begun to recruit supporters in Zwelihle and Mt Pleasant, people who are willing to give R10 per month from the little that they have. We look forward to the current trickle becoming a stream and then becoming a flood. I have posted the 50 10/10/10 campaign forms to Thobeka Dodo in Durban.
WhatsApp weekly update, 21–25 July 2025
Thank you again, everyone, for your love and support. On Thursday, someone who wishes to remain anonymous heard me speaking to the young people about 10/10/10 campaign and immediately pledged to give R1000 to the campaign! We are deeply grateful.
This week we also received the flight tickets for Cleo and Masixole to go to volunteer in Taizé (France) for 3 months in October. We must now apply and pay for their visas. Please pray for this process.
Continue readingWhatsApp weekly update, 14–18 July 2025
The young people made us and themselves proud on Thursday when they presented about their Grahamstown/Makhanda trip in the chapel at Volmoed. This was also a way to build their confidence to do public presentations. For people whose first language is not English, they did very well!
Continue readingWhatsApp weekly update, 7–11 July 2025
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What a week! Key highlights include collaboration discussions with the Methodist church, and VYLTP alumni becoming ambassadors. Upcoming events include Mandela Day celebrations and a special 100% donation matching opportunity.
Continue readingWhatsApp weekly update, 30 June–4 July 2025
Highlights of the week, and a spotlight for next week
Continue readingVYLTP 10/10/10 campaign
10 Rand for 10 months
Fuelling the next 10 years of hope
(or $10 / €10 / £10)
1–2 minutes
On 16 June 2026, the Volmoed Youth Leadership Training Programme (VYLTP) marks a decade of changing lives. Over the past ten years, we’ve walked alongside young, unemployed South Africans as they rediscover hope, build confidence, and reclaim a sense of purpose.
Today, VYLTP stands as a beacon of dignity and opportunity for youth striving toward a better future. One of our proudest current initiatives is The Volmoed Drummers — a vibrant project you can explore in more detail here.
As we look ahead, we invite you to help shape the next ten years of possibility.
Continue readingA 10-point plan for Africa
As May is Africa month, VYLTP is focusing on Africa during its Thursday programme.
Here are ten steps towards a new Africa, inspired by what I believe. It is in no particular order, and your comments on this and your own suggestions and reflections will be appreciated.
Continue readingVYLTP turns 8 years old
On 16 June 2016, on the fortieth anniversary of the June 16, 1976 Soweto riots that became known as “Youth Day” in South Africa, a unique youth programme was launched at a unique place called Volmoed, close to Hermanus.
The programme founders, Edwin Arrison and John de Gruchy, had big dreams: to let it be a place and programme where young Christian leaders from across the globe could gather to be trained in order to be sent back to their various communities. It soon became clear that our impact would actually be limited if we spread ourselves too thinly and tried to do too much, but we continued to gather young people for 9 to 10 weeks, until 2019.
Continue readingThe VYLTP drummers of Hermanus
These talented young adults can make a special event even more special.
When and how did they come into being? Read the interesting story on how drumming has empowered young people and brought sheer joy to everyone involved, from the drummers, to the sponsors, to the audience. Make a booking – their performance is guaranteed to liven up your event.
Volmoed Youth 