2023 Q1 Newsletter

q1 Newsletter!

Be plugged in: This network won’t work or serve its purpose until you rise.

Message from our CEO: The key moments that the first quarter of the year saw the network respond to and what this will mean for the remainder of the year.

The ball rolling
The first quarter has been a very interesting quarter for the country and simultaneously within our network. From the beginning of the year, we held a month-long State of the Nation Address (SONA) network campaign. We used the lead-up to the 9th of February to highlight the necessary opinions from the Network on the SONA. Our young people did not hold back in sharing their views. Many indicated how they felt that the President is still not addressing most of the challenges that the country is facing. There was a great campaign on the impact of load shedding on small businesses covered by the media. Several young people within our Network are social entrepreneurs who really fully depend on electricity to make sure that their businesses keep running. We have been witness to the chaos that emerged in several municipalities run by coalition governments. The question that the network needs to start exploring is, as a country, as well as young people, how do these coalition parties and coalition politics show impact in our municipalities?

Changes to the cabinet and the response of young people
As a network, we are also gearing up and trying to get ourselves ready for the 2024 General election. Part of our work will be focused on how to hold elected leaders accountable. The cabinet reshuffle happened and created an opportunity for us to have open conversations as a network and country at large. At the top of the criticism was directed to the appointment of the Minister of Youth, Women and Persons with Disabilities, at the age of 74, with the responsibility of overseeing our young people. It has become more important for us to not just accept what the government puts in front of us, but play a role and demonstrate our discontent with mobilised actions.

Activators owning the network
It is our intention to promote Activators being able to tell their own stories and to get the stories of Activators out there and elevate their profiles. We hosted a writers’ workshop that was a great highlight, where we saw Activators that were no longer active in the Network join the workshop. The narratives of young people cannot be told by other people but by young people, and I think the writers’ workshop was one of the greatest highlights of the first quarter.

Being present in every corner of the country
We had an opportunity to go to one of the most faraway places and rural places where our members of the network are found, in Upington, for the final leg of our ten-year birthday celebration. During our visit, we were able to meet most of the Activators in the Northern Cape. One of the feedbacks from the activators was that the network still has relevance and a need it services. The activators confirmed that some of the relationships and partnerships that they have created through the network are still going on which was a positive takeaway for us as an organisation, that Activators are still connecting with each other and using the network as a resource for their development and the growth their own communities.

Strides within our staff
One of our colleagues has been accepted to the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Fellowship which is a great highlight of some part of the development of staff for us as ACTIVATE! Most of the staff hired at ACTIVATE! Are Activators themselves, so it’s a great privilege and a great honour to have one of our own having being accepted to the fellowship, it’s also a great celebration for the network, for the organisation and for the individual (Nkokheli Mankayi) who got selected.

Be plugged in
There has been so much work being done in just also planning and making sure that all is ready for our 2023 implementation plan which has already started running. It’s very exciting to see the team and the network is very excited about what we presenting for 2023 we really started well within quarter one and we want to continue with the momentum. We are also super excited to share the new developments with the NYRI programme which is launching soon. This programme is going to offer young people the opportunity to further their development with a target of 75 young people who will be its beneficiaries. It is our hope that both our activators, key stakeholders and partners can continue to meaningfully partner with us as we advance the cause of young people, there is great strength and potential in our unity.

Editor’s Sidebar: Notes on highlights from the quarter and the emerging multimedia network.

Failing to plan is planning to fail, are wise words which we took with greater urgency this year in the network. From January 2023, we were on our feet implementing the plans we had consolidated in our strategic meeting in December.

First on the list was a general welcome back from our CEO who gave the network a timely reassurance that as young people we have to wake up and mobilise now.

It is not a secret that our country is disintegrating at an alarming pace, citizens across social classes and races, are feeling the consequences of a country led by old leaders that occupy positions of power with little to no accountability.

Absolute power should not exist nor be tolerated in a democracy. It is the responsibility of the people to ensure that this never becomes the case. We the youth, need to take a proactive stand, away from our phone keyboards and into environments of influence.

This quarter we had many inspiring stories of impact and timely opinions shared with us by activators. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that a culture pro-democracy, that allows diverse opinions and views, is seen at the grassroots level within our direct communities.

As we look to the second quarter of the year the call made by our CEO remains urgent and adamant, we need young people who will own this network online and offline. The time is not tomorrow, the future is now, and our country desperately needs it. The question is, will you be part of the doers or will history judge you for being complacent. There is no between, inaction is action.

Network Support: The value of keeping the network connect and finding innovative ways to bridge the skills gap between current skills and desired skills within the network.

The Network Support Portfolio plays an essential role in keeping the A! Network connected and finding innovative ways to bridge the skills gap between current skills and desired skills within the Network.

Zig Ziglar once said, “Success happens when opportunity meets preparation”. We have seen over the years that Activators would miss out on opportunities because they are not sufficiently prepared or they do not have all the required documents to access opportunities. To mitigate this challenge we have been conceptualising programmes that will ensure that Activators have the basic foundational skills and knowledge on how to run their businesses and NPOs as well as training on how to ensure the books of their organisations are in order.

We are working towards more grassroots policy engagements by launching the IDP campaign in mid-March and hosting more awareness policy (public participation) workshops.

We will also have a Network Engagement Session with the Network to share the strategy and planned activities for the year. We’re trying out new things this year and we’re hoping that we will have an impactful year as well as implement the call made by the Network to “revive the Network”.

Capacity Building Activities
The first quarter was a quarter purely dedicated to planning out the way forward. We want to be more deliberate and intentional about the work we do as a Network. We will be announcing the winners of the Network Support Fund and how they will be resourced at the end of March. We are also pleased to announce two pilot programmes, Facilitator Training and Compliance Training programme.

Mobilising & Campaigns
The mobilising & campaigns programme speaks to the deepening impact pillar. The Programme focuses on “unearthing the Network” and understanding where Activators are through profiling Activators, creating connection points and platforms for Activators to connect and platforms for systemic change. This year we are shifting our focus from provincial Imbizos to District Mobilisations & Engagements. We want to create small pockets of engagements where Activators can work and connect with each other. This will enable Activators to deepen connections among themselves.

Policy
The focus is on getting young people to participate in public participation processes that will result in policy change and implementation. We want to create a resource and engagement-rich environment for young people in communities and across digital spaces that enable them to grow their capacity and agency to respond to challenges. We attended the Youth Advocacy Festival hosted by My Voice and we held two policy workshops in February which were aimed at encouraging young people in high school to participate in the Policy Process

Our A! Classifieds platform is beginning to pick up momentum, the objective of this platform is to create a platform where Activators and young people across the country can have instant access to opportunities and information that will improve the chances of young people to access work, education and training opportunities. To share opportunities around you and or to access this platform email: dwaine@activateleadership.co.za

We have spent quarter one finalising the plans for several initiatives we will be hosting. The Network Support team is planning to launch and share a few activities namely: THE A! Movement Campaign: resource support for activators with businesses thriving in their communities. The compliance training programme: for business owners and NPOs (Non-Profit Organisations), NPCs (Non-Profit Companies) and BPOs (Business Profit Organisations) and activators with ideas yet to take flight. The connection corner campaign: an opportunity to reignite connections within the network. Last, but not least, we will be hosting a workshop & networking session on the 25th of March 2023 in Pretoria. The theme: Young African Women in the film and art spaces workshop and networking session. To be a part of these initiatives reach out to: nathacia@activateleadership.co.za

In 2023, Activators can also look forward to the second quarter launch of our annual advocacy campaign that will unpack the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 3- Good Health and Wellbeing. The campaign will kick off in March 2023 with an online webinar.

District Mobilization
Secondly, as part of the network rejuvenation, we would be hosting a district mobilization where activators will gather and engage on matters that affect young people in the country. The themes for the gathering, Young people advocating and promoting Human rights in South Africa.

At the core of our strategy for the ACD In-Community programme is the unwavering commitment to partner with young people in addressing some of the most pressing social ills affecting society today. In 2022, the first cohort of 18 ACTIVATE! Amplifiers were on-boarded onto the programme with the aim of empowering them to be able to deliver the ACTIVATE! Change Drivers leadership training programme for young people across the country. These Amplifiers are members of the ACTIVATE! Network who are leading information and resource hubs for the benefit of other young people in their own communities. An in-community ACTIVATE! Change Drivers model will most likely enhance our efforts to create connection points among Activators and youth in their communities as well as other community-based stakeholders to further expand the reach of the network.

National Youth Resilience Initiative
This year marks the inception of the second phase of the National Youth Resilience Initiative (NYRI). The NYRI is a multi-stakeholder initiative which essentially seeks to strengthen the resilience and psychosocial well-being of young people in South Africa. As part of their core mandate for this partnership, ACTIVATE! Change Drivers is responsible for establishing and capacitating a network of youth leaders across South Africa that are better able to understand the needs of the youth; and elevate youth agendas in their own communities.

Generation (G)ender
ACTIVATE! Change Drivers is part of a global partnership called Generation G(ender) which seeks to work for and with young people in their full diversity to promote gender justice and prevent gender-based violence. Aligned with this is the organisation’s commitment to strengthen the capacity of Generation G Champions working with youth across 6 intervention sites in Gauteng, Kwa Zulu Natal and the Eastern Cape in order for them to positively contribute towards efforts aimed at addressing the root causes of gender inequality and gender-based violence. Between the 23rd and the 26th of February 2023, ACTIVATE! Convened an Immersion Workshop with the view of further equipping the champions with knowledge and key competencies to advance the aims of the Generation G partnership in their respective communities. Moreover, the workshop sought to create an enabling environment for the champions to share ideas and best practices in mobilizing public support to address the challenge of gender-based violence.

Read the voices of our network.

1. Story of Impact: Civic Education Champion profile of Fumayo Caiphus Mabitsela

Meet Fumayo Caiphus Mabitsela a member of our network who comes from Limpopo, Tzaneeen, one of the country’s most underdeveloped Provinces yet rich with human and natural resources.

Fumayo comes from a township that houses the story of the forced removals of its primary inhabitants by the apartheid government. He shares his story from a rural upbringing to becoming a trusted community leader, activist and ward councillor. We are one of two townships under Greater Tzaneen. I find myself living here and still a subject to many structural challenges, 60 years after the first residents were forcefully removed from (Tshaneng, Masakeng and Phusela) by the former government in 1963”. Fumayo fondly recalls the memories of attending his junior primary school Kgahara, senior primary at Lenyenye and matriculating at Phusela High school. For Fumayo, school provided a shared space of community amongst his peers and it planted a seed for an interest in creative arts and an escape from the tough reality of living in rural Limpopo. “I got into community development and activism when I received an invite from one of my friends in high school at the age of (15). This invite opened a door that has seen my trajectory in community development become a light for my community.”

Grassroots of activism
“My early memory and entrance into activism and community development were through loveLife programmes held at Lenyenye youth centre with a friend in early 2002. After attending all face-to-face programmes, I joined a stage performance group where we focused on the use of drama, dance and poetry to entertain young people and educate them on social ills through the arts. I had the responsibility of leading the drama division. We used art as a tool to empower and unite young people on social challenges we all are subjects of.” Fumayo also notes how the entry into community development was accompanied by several challenges and setbacks.

Challenges in the journey “There was a point where our art programme could not be funded. This meant that we were excluded from several other programs and year-end trips but this did not deter us, we were committed to this cause. We then started to organise gigs, such as dancing at shops and local events, for ourselves including a competition in our municipality that we ended up winning trophies and money.

Fumayo details how after a long engagement with the leadership of the Lenyenye Youth centre and still not meeting their demands for funding they ended up moving out. At this moment, we got an opportunity to dance while renowned PSL team City Pillars was playing at Nkowankowa stadium.

This exposed us to bigger audience and we started networking with other groups of the same interest.

Turning Point
A turn of tables for Fumayo and his crew was when they were later convinced to go back to the Youth centre by its new management. This was ground-breaking and an avenue that opened wide the net of possibilities for us. Close to this time, I was fortunate to be a Peer educator at the centre forwarded to serve in the ward representing NGOs and I also served in one of the municipal cluster sports committees. I also became the chairperson of the Lenyenye Arsenal football club and served in the SGB and crèche committees.

Joining ACTIVATE! Change Drivers
“I heard about ACTIVATE! In 2012 at Lenyenye Youth centre while other young people were applying, I was keen to apply however my 2012 application was unsuccessful but I tried again the following year and things worked in my favour and I was accepted.” Fumayo notes how from the time he joined the network his approach to life challenges changed. “I saw significant improvement to my teamwork and my skill and posture for politics developed quite significantly as the network provided me an opportunity to network and to organise myself within a cohort of like-minded young people who wanted to see a change in their communities.”

From ACTIVATE! My political and community life became more defined. I gained the respect, confidence and trust of my peers and community. I received many acknowledgements from stakeholders I had encountered through the network and within my township. Fumayo emphasizes how the development of communities and organisations requires the investment of vast stakeholders who can collaborate and empower youth voices to be used strategically to advance community development.

After completing the programme I was resolute in encouraging other young people to join the programme to be equipped with the knowledge, skills and connections that I had gained.

Following this, Fumayo says he was approached by several individuals to stand as a ward councillor. “This felt like a full circle moment, as prior to ACTIVATE! I had served in the ward committee in my Township for eight years since 2009. In 2017 three years after the ACTIVATE! Change Drivers Programme, I was appointed to the Department of social development and in 2019 I was one of the Selected activators to form part of the accredited Certificate in Community Development Course.

The course promoted community development and stakeholder engagement for positive community problem-solving. I later joined the Civic Education programme offered by ACTIVATE! Which gave me the direct opportunity to engage young people on critical issues such as democracy, governance and active citizenship. Very important were the tools gained in understanding local government, what structures and instruments are in place for communities to utilise for various issues including what the role of youth is in building our community.

This course gave me language, sharp perspective and experience on the ground to merge knowledge with passion for uplifting communities. Later I found my voice and confidence in mainstream politics and in 2021 I became a ward councillor in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality.

For Fumayo, becoming a ward councillor in 2019 affirmed his call into community development, but it also exposed him to further challenges. “What I find is that young ward councillors are very disrespected, because of our age. We are often questioned on whether or not we have the skill or capacity to address the many challenges our communities face such as unemployment, potholes, water scarcity, lack of soccer fields and the cleaning of illegal dumping.”

These problems plague Fumayo’s community and sometimes transcend the jurisdiction of ward Councillors, but this has never stopped him.

Growth through ACTIVATE!
“Through the information I learnt at ACTIVATE! Including the Civic Education Programme, I am now Confident in my role as a ward councillor in terms of what I can assist with; who to hold accountable for what, and how to go about ensuring that the problems we face are addressed.” Together with other youth councillors in my municipality, we convene stakeholder meetings before hosting community public meetings. We have created a community WhatsApp group for service delivery updates and are always encouraging young people to volunteer and form part of community activities. We have also created a community unemployment database. Where challenges have arisen beyond our call of duty, we have not hesitated to escalate matters.

Right now we are still engaging with other government departments to give us permission to use their space to practise the arts and continue with our performances. With the knowledge and experience from Activate programmes and my continued participation in the ward committee, I continued to work with other stakeholders in organising community events such as: community dialogues, school debates, mountain hiking, GBV events including the donation of school uniforms and celebrating teachers’ day in our high schools.

What I realised once I became a ward counsellor was that as a young person and a youth activist, things are not as easy to accomplish as I had initially thought. It is only until you are inside the system that you will realise the level of commitment and resilie nce required from you and those you work with for things to change. Secondly; titles don’t work in this space but the evidence of a functional community does. Our peers don’t care much about your title when addressing you and you have to learn to be calm in managing conflict and addressing angry citizens who have lost faith and do not trust that you can and will as a public representative do the right things based on their lived experiences.” The good that has come from Fumayo being a ward councillor.

Since being a ward councillor myself and working within a collective of other young councillors, we have managed to work with local businesses to assist with the creation of job opportunities. I have also made myself accessible to the community through an active presence on diverse methods of communication so that no one is excluded or left out. It really does take a village and commitment to see change.

At least 90% of our residents are now able to get water from their taps 4 or 5 days a week. We are working on improving this even further.

The poorest of the poor are recommended for job opportunities and not overlooked because of their lack of connections or education. More than 40 young people were placed in leadership and Nalibali reading programmes.

We continuously report back to the community to regain their trust and include them in decision-making.

Knowledge co-sharing amongst our youth. Being a ward councillor has helped to enlighten other young people to understand their role in their respective focuses on interest. And leading the civic education workshop back home has also enabled the youth in my community to know and understand who they can partner with in addressing particular challenges that they face which includes me as a councillor; gaining a better grasp of the different spheres of government and their responsibilities. With more peers being informed and involved, a lot more can be done together to shape the development of our community and steer citizens away from violent protests as a means to communicate their frustrations.

My role is to work with different levels of stakeholders to promote positive change within our spaces and to continue with my mission of giving back. Right now I am mentoring young political activists because in this current political climate, we must all be committed to doing what is right and provide quality services in the promotion of accountability.

To connect with Fumayo Caiphus Mabitsela
Email: fmambitsele@gmail.com
Number: 071 554 8859
Facebook: Fumayo Caiphus Mabitsela
Twitter: @Fumayo
Instagram: Fumayooo

2. A good story: Ramadimetja Makgeru, Writers Hub member

Success has long been associated with material possessions, power, and status. I grew up in the rural parts of Limpopo, where the struggle to make ends meets is a common occurrence. Like many others from a similar background, I recall being encouraged to work hard in school to get jobs that would allow me to buy that big double-storey house in the suburbs far away from my village or drive the most expensive car in the market like the rich lawyer uncle that was able to make it out. A regular sight in the dusty streets of my home village when I was growing up, and to this very day, are kids running after a fancy car and the driver telling them to focus on their school work to reach that level of “success”. We were conditioned to believe that being successful means attaining material possessions that will, in turn, give us power and status in the communities we live in.

I personally feel that this traditional notion of success has left me and many others unfulfilled and unhappy. South Africa’s expanded unemployment rate, which includes those discouraged from seeking work, was 42.6% in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to an article on Trading Economics’ website. Employment is the most significant income generator for individuals in a developing economy such as ours. If almost half the population isn’t able to generate the very income we base success on, then we are creating a breeding ground for not-so-happy individuals. If people aren’t able to access material possessions, in the conventional sense of spending their own money to acquire them, then this makes them unsuccessful; if we wanted to rely on this traditional notion of success, that is.

Let’s redefine what success is.
It’s time to redefine success and prioritise happiness, not material possessions, as the ultimate goal.

We need to encourage young adults to focus on their well-being and happiness and ultimately make that a measure of their success. According to the World Happiness Index, South Africa ranks 102 out of 149 countries. This means that a significant portion of the population is unhappy, and it’s time to address this issue.

One way to redefine success is to consider happiness a vital aspect of success. Instead of measuring success by material possessions and professional achievements, we need to measure success by the joy and fulfilment one experiences.

One story dear to my heart is that of Mo Gawdat, author of Solve for Happy and other related books. He grew up believing that success meant earning a lot of money and having a fancy job. His intellectual gifts landed him executive roles in various companies. He created significant wealth but realised he was desperately unhappy. He attacked this problem as an engineer would, scrutinising all the provable facts and carefully following logic. When he was finished, he uncovered the equation for lasting happiness. Mo found his mission: to help others become happier by pouring his happiness principles into a book and spreading its message worldwide[1]. He now successfully dedicates his time to writing more books and creating podcasts around this topic.

Through numerous studies, psychologists and happiness experts in South Africa generally agree that happiness should be the ultimate goal because it positively impacts mental and physical health, improves social relationships, increases productivity and creativity, and ultimately leads to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Here are some specific reasons why happiness should be the ultimate goal:
Improved Mental Health: Studies have shown that happiness is strongly linked to improved mental health. When people are happy, they experience less stress, anxiety, and depression. Happiness also boosts resilience, which helps individual’s better cope with challenging situations.

Better Physical Health: Happiness is also linked to better physical health. Happy people tend to have lower levels of inflammation, a more robust immune system, and a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease [2], stroke, and diabetes.

Improved Social Relationships: Happiness has a positive impact on social relationships. Happy people are likeable and approachable and have more robust social support networks. This can lead to better relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.

Increased Productivity and Creativity: Happiness is linked to increased productivity and creativity. When people are happy, they tend to be more motivated, engaged, and innovative in their work.

Fulfilling and Meaningful Life: Ultimately, happiness leads to a more fulfilling and meaningful life. People who are happy tend to have a greater sense of purpose, meaning, and overall life satisfaction.

Some simple tips to increase happiness include practising gratitude, engaging in joyful activities, and building solid relationships with friends and family.

In conclusion, it’s time to redefine success and prioritise happiness as the ultimate goal. As a society, we must shift our focus away from traditional notions of success and embrace the idea that satisfaction is vital to success. Let’s encourage other young adults to prioritize their well-being and happiness, leading to a more fulfilled and successful life.

About the Author:
Ramadimetja is an Activate Leadership graduate with a passion for community engagement and development. She is a freelance writer with a specific interest in mental health, wellness and education. She uses her writing as a form of advocacy to educate others and bring attention to matters in these subject areas.

3. Our country, Our Legacy: Writers Hub member’s opinion on Eskom by Lebogang Victor Ditsebe

South Africans are convinced that there is no plan in place to fix the current crisis at Eskom. This comes after looming uncertainties on the energy plan used by the South African government to ensure a stable power supply in the country.

On a daily basis, small businesses are closing shop because of rolling blackouts and unfortunately, this will lead to severe unemployment – families dependent on their employed loved ones will be gripped by fear of not knowing where their next meal will come from.

Early this year, addressing members of the ANC at the party’s Lekgotla, H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s said load shedding will be South Africans’ daily experience.

As it stands load shedding is crippling our economy, and contributing to the escalation of crime and as a domino effect, lessening investment opportunities in the country. This is no good news considering that the unemployment rate is at a staggering 34.20 percent and projected to be 35.00 in 2024, according to econometric models.

In addition to this, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has granted Eskom tariff increases of 18.65% and 12.74% over the next two years – threatening South Africa’s food security ecosystem and leading to marginalized, unemployed South Africans to drown further in poverty.
This calls for the energy crisis to be redressed, and an immediate energy solution package

Being introduced in the following manner:
South African government needs to focus on an impactful Just Transition and abandoning coal as an energy resource is not an answer – as this will lead the country to a catastrophic failure of being without sustainable energy supply.

Alternative energy solutions need to be brought forward, such as mitigating the effects of Eskom’s crisis by ensuring that wind farms are established in all provinces and each wind farm needs to be autonomously connected to the electric grid – this will assist with a renewable energy production capacity.

All means of alternative energy production have to be introduced, to lower the burden of South Africans being exposed to staggering unemployment rates, businesses closing and communities burdened by crime being alleviated.

Once the South African government can fix this crisis, other focus areas must be looked at.

Most certainly at the top of the agenda needs to be how the private sector can play a critical role in ensuring that Eskom becomes a stable power grid. Independent Power Producers need to be brought to the table to address the energy crisis – which cripples the economy – further leading to instability.

Our country has to consider all solutions which need to be brought to the table, and most certainly this opens up an opportunity for public participation – for solidarity with fixing our country’s energy crisis. This most certainly will open an opportunity for young people. Our network has a role to do the country duty everyone else shies away from by actively raising awareness on load-shedding and how the power crisis cripples the economy.

Activate Change Driver’s nearly 5000 youth network, carries the potential to challenge the South African government’s negligence in the power crisis, if the South African government purposely handled the energy crisis with greater urgency to resolve instead of shifting blame, led well, load shedding would have been an Issue of the past.

We as a network are capable of also highlighting how load shedding is affecting us as a nation. As a young person living in a crime-ridden community – load-shedding every night results in daily anxiety and concern about my safety, and my family’s safety, to such an extent this contributes to a debilitating factor on the mental health of South Africans, social anxiety and unrest is a constant feature of our lives because of the implications of load shedding.

As a network we can also raise awareness on this matter through hackathons, which can also be virtually held, raising awareness on social media platforms, this includes Twitter, Instagram and Facebook – for our voices to be amplified it’s our civic duty.

About the Author:
Lebogang Victor Ditsebe, is a social journalist and activist. Proudly a 2018 activator from Kimberley Northern Cape, passionate about climate change, and an optimist whose dreams are rooted in working towards a better South Africa for all.

4. Tracking their path: Network support by Sibongile Mngadi

Meet Sibongile Mongandi founded Uku’hamba Prosthetics and Orthotics, a 100%, black and youth women-owned healthcare manufacturing company that has been in existence since January 2020.

Uku’hamba Prosthetics and Orthotics (Pty) Ltd produce lightweight prosthetics, splints and braces to improve the conditions of amputees living with disabilities with a vision of giving them back their independence and confidence. Prosthetics, splints and braces are custom-made, durable, water-resistant and low-cost. Though newly incorporated, the company has managed to move from concept through prototype development to production in a short space of time to demonstrate the determination, competence and commitment of the owner to the vision of Uku’hamba Prosthetics and Orthotics (Pty) Ltd.

“The company operates within a network of experts who possess expertise acquired from various industries necessary for the success of Uku’hamba Prosthetics and Orthotics (Pty) Ltd through excellent customer service that is aimed at delighting the amputees.”

With vast experience and competencies, and great work ethic and high quality and excellence, the company is sure to make relevant inroads into the Bio-technology and healthcare manufacturing industries, and we are intentional in becoming one of the key role players in these sectors.

Though the company is based in Gauteng, it has all the capacity to be a supplier of choice in the whole of South Africa and beyond our borders with the vision to expand into Africa. Given the above undertaking, surely the company is earmarked to become a huge success and a great force to be reckoned with and highly recognized business venture in South Africa and in the entire African continent.

Connect with Sibongile Mongandi and partner with Uku’hamba reach out on:
Cell: 072 949 9571 / 0677218062
Emails: info@ukuhamba.co.za or sibongile@ukuhamba.co.za

Meet our Generation G champions.

Name: Yonela Genu – Eastern Cape Generation G Champion
Pronoun:She

What is your experience with activism within the Gender space?
My experience in Gender Justice and prevention of gender-based violence is through creating awareness and documenting views of young people around gender justice and gender-based violence. It started when I had to do baseline research for Generation G, I had to capture young people’s opinions and encourage them to voice out.

What drove me to get involved in the promotion of Gender justice and prevention of gender-based violence was seeing young people from my community not receiving the justice that they deserve in gender-based violence-related cases. Also, the unfair practices that occur in our rural areas are more patriarchal.

What would you change about your country and community where GBV is concerned?
I would strengthen justice by capacitating the police, social workers and others that are part of solving GBV cases. I would promote fair practices for both genders. I would encourage youth people to realise their worth.

Dreams and goals – What are your aspirations where your activism is concerned? My aspiration is to create a sustainable impact in communities.

What challenges have you encountered in the gender activism space? – How have you (if any) overcome or dealt with them?
I have encountered the problem of not being able to assist a victim of rape because of the lack of knowledge that I had at the time. That taught me to always seek information and to maintain stakeholder relations.

My passion is creating change in communities through working with relevant stakeholders.

My superpower is that I like reflecting. I listen a lot and don’t talk much, giving me time to reflect on what I have learnt.

Why should young people lead and champion the call for united activism in the fight against GBV?
Young people constitute the majority of the population and are the future of our communities.

Connect with Yonela on:
Twitter : @Yonela_Genu
Facebook: Yonela Miyakazi Mamiya Genu
Instagram: @ Yonela Miyakazi Mamiya Genu

Siphesihle Bhengu – KwaZulu Natal Champion

Meet Siphesihle Brian Bhengu who identifies as He/Him/His from Inanda in KwaZulu Natal, he is 28 years old of age holding a Bachelor of Art in Community Development.

“I work as a Youth Network Officer at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, and I am a Generation Gender Justice Community Champion based in Inanda Site”

Siphesihle is a youth advocate for Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and a Gender Activist. He is a member of the KwaZulu Natal Civil Society Forum leadership serving in the Provincial Youth Sector as the deputy secretary general of the sector in the province.

“My gender activism began in 2016 and was hastily tracked by my own experience of being sexually violated as a young boy in 2011. The crime committed on my own body led to me sharing my trauma of being sexually violated. However, I did this without having any proper psycho-social support services because I had limited information on how to access those services. Furthermore because of the stigma that is prevalent in society, especially toward men that have experienced different forms of Gender Based Violence.”

Bhengu believes that there is still a need for advocacy and awareness needs to be done in educating and providing adequate information in communities about Gender Based Violence including education about gender identities and roles. “In communities, there is a silent mode that is activated in supporting the victims of the GBVF and great nominalization of the violence, while the future of the youth is compromised and the environment becoming unsafe each day.”

“There is a need to build a working referral system to support the victims, there is a need to have a proper working justice system that is not political interfered, there is need for an up rise of communities that will speak against those who are using GBVF as a money-making machine while people are dying and violated every single day”, he adds.

Siphesihle currently volunteers as the Gender Education Facilitator in different youth lead community organizations that are working around the issues related to Gender Spectrums where he also advises on programming and ways of working. He currently serves in the IBIS Reproductive Health campaign called Mmoho Campaign that works with Adolescents and young people to empower and provide them with adequate information and to have access to information as far as SRHR is concerned.

“I am also part of the MTV Shuga Peer Educator where he partnered with the LGBTI Centre in Durban because of the working relationship with the center where they conduct the MTV Shuga video screening and sessions around Gender Based Violence, Healing, Sexual Violence, HIV and AIDS, and LGBTQAI+ issues.”

He is also part of the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu Rapid Response Team which is seconded by the Office of the Premier under the Women Status Office, This RRT as it is known, it is responsible for ensuring that all the information about interventions from different stakeholders in the area are known, cases are being reported and to network amongst the organizations about the services as this it is made up of different organization in the area.

His hobbies in his spare times he like to listen music and singing as he is part of the eThekwini Gospel Choir, he also likes to travel and meeting up with new people.

Connect with Siphesile on:
Facebook: Spheh Bhengu
Twitter: @BhenguSpheh
Instagram: @SPHEHBHENGU
Tiktok: @sphehbhengu

Meet our Amplifier, Lesedi Meza

Lesedi is an Activator from the Northern Cape whose networking skills have brought more success than one could ever imagine.

“This new journey of my life as an ACTIVATE! Change Drivers is filled with a lot of excitement as I am exposed to an entirely new territory of working and I am exposed to a different territory of activism. I am connected to various networks and organizations whose aim is to change this country for the better”.

Becoming an Amplifier
“When I heard about an opportunity to become an amplifier for my network through my connection to Love Life. I love youth programmes because they give me the satisfaction of knowing that I am doing something to benefit someone else other than myself and that I am involved in something bigger than myself. I am a leader in an organization called Bafenyi House which means House of Winners. Our focus in this organization is early child development throughout the adolescent stage because we believe in continuous growth. I am excited about the opportunity to serve as an Activate Change Drivers.”

Gearing for recruitment of new cohort of young people to join the network.
“I went through our training with ease because I am always willing to learn and this week was filled with learning opportunities due to the fact that we were trained in different elements of activism. This new journey of my life as an ACTIVATE! Change Drivers is filled with a lot of excitement as I am exposed to an entirely new territory of working and I am exposed to a different territory of activism.”

I believe that young people are not lazy and that we are resourceful in nature in that we are hustlers of note and we are able to always make ends meet whenever we have the necessary platform and chance. I have been a victim of gender-based violence before and most of my wishes for the South African social reform agenda is based on my wish to fight towards ending gender-ba violence in our communities.

Contact Lesedi on:
lucriciameza@gmail.com
083 617 9833

Meet Amanda Dumisa

Amanda Dumisa, is an activator who hails from the Western Cape Province. I am a go-getter Activator and whenever an opportunity arises, I go after it and grab it with both hands.

“When I saw an advert regarding an opportunity to become an amplifier for ACTIVATE! Change Drivers, I went after it and I was successful in that regard. I love and enjoy this opportunity of being an amplifier because it means that the same seed that has been planted in me in my communities and towards other young people.”

Amanda says she comes from a community that is underprivileged and previously disadvantaged.

“I use myself as an example of what a good model is to my peers as I come from a community that has no positive role models that our young people can look up to and they end up looking towards criminals as role models and seek to emulate their actions and this further ruins our communities – this happens in a generational manner as one generation cascades its ruins to the other one”.

Amanda is also part of a youth organization called Khayelitsha Youth Hub where they coach young people on how to seek jobs and how to make sure that they are successful in their interviews once they are called for interviews.

“I am going to take and use the information that I received from this training and make sure that I use it for my own projects and more than anything pass the information to my peers”.

“My dream for South Africa is that we have the kind of youth force that takes full ownership of their economy in that they have enterprises that drive the economy in the direction that favours young people. In my opinion, the first step to a holistic emancipation of young people and this country is to liberate young people in terms of the economy as this will ensure that they are covered in all other aspects of their economic emancipation.”

Closing remarks from our executive director calling on the network to organise.

The year 2024 is around the corner and with it come three key milestones: We celebrate 30 years of our Democracy; with the most significant elections since 1994 taking place and the contesting of independent candidates with political parties for the presidential seat for the first time.

Oh what a time to be alive!

It is thus vital that each and every one of us within the network ensure that this pivotal moment is one where we shall stand up and be counted. The time has come for us to get involved in mobilisation initiatives however great and small to encourage our peers and all citizens to register and vote and begin to unpack what collective measures can be co-created to hold those who will be elected to steer South Africa forward accountable in more meaningful and transparent ways.

And in spite of the difficult task that lies ahead of us all…through sheer determination to go the distance to play our part in our respective spaces of influence; through our willingness to come together to engage on critical issues whether we agree or disagree; as well as our commitment to sacrifice some of our individual needs for the sake of our collective interests; South Africa can and will be great again.

2023 Q1 Newsletter

q1 Newsletter!

Be plugged in: This network won’t work or serve its purpose until you rise.

#wearevoting