Gogos Give Smiles Partnership

May 16, 2025•2 min read

At the heart of the Miss Dorothy’s Garden Legacy Project is a commitment to sowing seeds of kindness, compassion, and emotional resilience in children. That commitment now spans continents thanks to a meaningful partnership with Gogos Give Smiles (GGS), a dynamic nonprofit based in South Africa.

Introducing “Gogos Read”
In South African communities, gogos—the Zulu word for grandmothers—are revered as keepers of cultural heritage and community wisdom. The Gogos Read program empowers these incredible elders to visit early childhood development centers (ECDs) and read aloud to children, sparking joy while building intergenerational bonds that strengthen entire communities.

These reading sessions do more than entertain—they’re a lifeline. They combat loneliness and depression for elders, foster empathy and communication skills in young children, and ensure the stories and values of the past continue to shape the future. It’s a living picture of what the BEE Attitudes represent—hope, growth, and kindness in action.

Our Shared Vision
The Miss Dorothy’s Garden BEE Buddy Program teaches nine character-building principles inspired by the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. In partnership with GGS, these principles will ultimately be nurtured in 12 ECDs across Alexandra Township—impacting more than 800 children, many of whom lack access to structured reading programs or learning resources.

Thanks to this partnership, trained gogos—who also receive stipends and support through monthly workshops—will bring Miss Dorothy’s Garden to life as part of a broader curriculum of reading, cultural education, and life skills development.

How We’re Growing Together
This is more than an international reading program—it’s a movement. With plans to scale across Southern Africa, our collaboration with Gogos Give Smiles marks the beginning of a global network of BEE Buddies growing gardens of kindness in even the most overlooked corners of the world.

We’re not only delivering books—we’re building legacies, creating intergenerational mentorship opportunities, and laying the foundation for sustained community impact.

How You Can Help
We invite you to become part of this beautiful mission:

Become a BEE Buddy Friend to provide BEE Buddy Boxes to children in Alexandra Township.
Become a BEE Buddy Champion to support Garden Parties that include Gogo stipends and training workshops.
Become a BEE Buddy Partner to underwrite MyStoryBook Workshops to help children write and publish their stories as they learn the power of books, community, and compassion.

When you support the Miss Dorothy’s Garden Legacy Project, you're not just funding a program—you’re helping make global change feel local, personal, and powerful.

Let’s Grow a Global Garden of Kindness. One BEE Buddy at a Time.

👉 Become a Sponsor Today
📘 Buy the Book
📥 Download a BEE Buddy Guide

Gwendolyn Faye

Gwendolyn Faye is a poet, artist, and entrepreneur dedicated to building brands for social impact. She brings more than 40 years of experience to her role as the author of her first children's book, "Miss Dorothy’s Garden: 9 BEE Attitudes to Grow By." Inspired by her mother-in-law, Dorothy Witherspoon's century of service, Gwendolyn created the Miss Dorothy’s Garden Legacy Project to empower children around the world to sow kindness in themselves and others to transform communities.

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