Sponsor Kung Fu Martial Arts Lessons for Charity Children

Since 2018, Sifu Andre Kruger, from Somerset West Kung Fu Academy has provided sponsored Kung Fu training sessions for the SOS Africa children. As well as providing the children with a huge amount of enjoyment, Kung Fu training principles can also empower them throughout their everyday lives. Sifu Andre explains more…

Sponsor Kung Fu Martial Arts Lessons for Children in Africa — Sifu Andre Kruger providing Kung Fu lessons to the SOS Africa children in Somerset West

What is Kung Fu?

The term Kung Fu means ‘work’, the man or woman who works with art, to exercise oneself bodily, the art of exercising the body applied in the prevention or treatment of disease, the singular postures in which certain martial art practitioners hold themselves. The expression Kung Fu is also used to mean ‘work done’. The term Kung Fu, labour or work, is identical in character and meaning to the word Congou, applied in the South of China, to a certain kind of tea. In China it is further applied medically to the same subjects as are expressed by the German Heil Gymnastic, or Curative Gymnastics, and the French Kinesiology, or Science of Movement.

How can Kung Fu Benefit Children?

Teaching these aspects to younger generations is most important to me; to be able to help them identify their self-worth and to assist them follow a balanced life. This is vital in our new generation’s ability to cope with life’s challenges ahead. Somerset West Kung Fu Academy’s prime focus is to equip students with these and more skills over time. Further development of these skills can also be seen as important – continual development of oneself regularly. All the students I had at SOS Africa as a Kung Fu teacher, especially those at Methodist Primary School in Somerset West, have come to follow our training principles in their lives subconsciously (sometimes).

Illnesses Come from the Mind, So Treatment Should Too? YES – just look at the following a student of Kung Fu, as a martial art, would learn:

Curing Mental Anxiety to Prevent Physical Disease

1. Maintaining good spirits	2. Not enslaved by material gain
3. Being yourself	4. Prevention is the best cure
5. Keeping fit through exercise	6. Avoiding anger
7. Controlling your emotions	8. Not focusing on your illness
9. What you do for others will eventually benefit yourself	10. Living a slower life
11. Happiness in contentment	12. Cherishing what you have

Curing Mental Anxiety through Zen Medicine

1. Managing your life with industry and frugality	2. Playing up strengths and avoiding weaknesses
3. Breaking away from constraints	4. Forgiving others
5. Learning to be grateful	6. Thinking from others’ perspective
7. Unburdening your mind	8. Giving help without expecting returns
9. Disregarding personal gains or losses	10. Being ready to cooperate with others
11. Harbouring fewer worldly desires	12 keeping a low profile
13. Being thankful for criticism	14. Accepting the reality and changing yourself
15. A calm mood brings good luck	16. Being a good listener
17. Being modest	18. Having a clear conscience
19. Ridding yourself of bad habits	20. Persevering in medical treatment
21. Time management	22. Venting negative emotion where it is due

Preventing Physical Disease with Zen Medicine

1. Shaolin internal exercises	2. The six-word breathing technique
3. Taking a walk in a forest	4. Maintaining childlike innocence
5. Achieving balance between yin and yang	6. The shaolin breath-holding technique
7. Countering illness with willpower	8. Sleeping in a warm environment
9. Going to bed before 11pm and taking a nap at noon	10. Relieving fatigue through poetry and meditating
11. Practicing mental suggestion	12. Simple food therapies
13. A cup of lukewarm water	14. Relaxation exercise
15. Shaolin standing exercise	16. Taking a ‘happy walk’ after each meal
17. The day’s plan starts with an early morning

Curing Physical Illness with Zen Medicine

1. The digestive system	2. Orthopaedic disorders
3. Cardio-cerebral diseases	4. Respiratory system
5. Other diseases appendices illustrations of meridians index

The other day when I visited the SOS Africa Centre at Methodist Primary, nearly all my previous students came out of the building excited to greet me after some time has passed since they last saw me. It was wonderful to see them develop and grow whilst they were on our Kung Fu programme. Clearly, I could see that they are missing their weekly classes with me and want to continue. You know when what you do really makes a difference when your students want to return to your class. That is very important.

Kind regards,

Sifu Andre Kruger, Somerset West Kung Fu Academy

Sponsor Kung Fu Martial Arts Sessions for Children

If you are interested in sponsoring Kung Fu Martial Arts Lessons or making a donation towards purchase of a mat or uniform for the SOS Africa Children, please Contact SOS Africa today.