By C1 Staff
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A former South Carolina probation officer has started a nonprofit targeted toward teens on the wrong path.
The Cola Daily wrote a profile on Zakiya Esper, a former probation officer for the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Esper believed her experience with nonprofits, which began at age 19 at the Florence Crittenton Home in Charleston, would be put to better use outside the court system.
Thus she founded Sowing Seeds into the Midlands, with a vision of providing youth services to harness the talent and skills of young people who are struggling to deal with problems at home, in school and out in the community.
“The youth of the Midlands are underserved in so many ways. These teens need reliable and appropriately trained adults to step up and be available to help them navigate the tough issues that they face on a daily basis,” she said. “That’s what Seeds is aiming to do, to prepare mentors who are willing to stand in the gap to be present for the youth of the Midlands.
“As a probation officer, I met kids who weren’t being fed, weren’t being watered, who had no idea what it was like to be nurtured,” Esper continued. “I believe that all children can live a positive and productive life. They need certain circumstances to grow.”
The nonprofit will focus on teens between the ages of 13 and 18, and will connect them with adult volunteers who will help them discover their strengths and overcome their weaknesses.
The first phase to be launched will be the mentoring program which is slated to begin January, followed by counseling and tutoring/GED prep classes.
“Seeds is the kind of program that keeps kids out of the juvenile justice system, that keeps kids from vandalizing your homes and your cars,” Esper said. “It helps your kids have a safe place outside of family. And I think it’s something missing from our community.”