Lighthouse aims to ensure all young people in Greater Shepparton thrive, so when we recently heard about up-and-coming sports star Kazadi and the barrier he was facing, the team came together to think of the best way to assist Kazadi and his family in overcoming their current challenges.

Kazadi Kadima is a 14-year-old distance runner who currently holds the School Sport Victoria (SSV) Championships title for 3000m and 800m, the All-Schools Championships title for 3000m and also has won medals in 1500m. He attends Year 9 at Greater Shepparton Secondary College, and in 2023, he was awarded Sporting Excellence along with the Maths Domain awards.

In April 2024, Kazadi has the opportunity to compete in Adelaide for the Athletics Australia National Track and Field Championships, where he will be representing Shepparton Athletics Club. However, after a recent run of bad luck, including the family car being written off, a broken phone and a hot water system blowing up, Kazadi's single mother, Anita, was struggling to meet the costs for Kazadi to compete in Adelaide.

With the pressure of the cost of living, we know many families are struggling to support their children in achieving the goals they aspire to achieve. While Lighthouse cannot directly financially support families in this circumstance, we can tap into our networks and resources to help find a solution.

With our fundraising app, Shout for Good, Lighthouse set up a tax-deductible fundraiser, shared among Shepparton's running community and Kazadi's family and friends. Excitingly, the necessary amount for competing in Adelaide was raised within 24 hours. In the following days, enough was raised to cover ongoing sports costs and to give the family some breathing space to recover financially from their unexpected expenses.

Lighthouse loves to provide simple solutions that deliver positive and timely outcomes. We wish Kazadi every success at his upcoming competition and ongoing aspirations.

Lighthouse has an open-door policy when supporting our young people and their families. We welcome families to reach out to discuss how we might assist in breaking down the various challenges families can face. Please email our Executive Officer Amy Robinson: arobinson@gslp.com.au