I believe  youth have valuable insight into what they want to see in their communities and in order for them to be confident in sharing their ideas they need role models who can show them how to initiate change.  

How are you driving change?

I’m a Business Development Officer at Gold Peer Education Development Agency, an organisation that works with high school learners in education, health and youth leadership transformation.

My role provides financial and material support. I manage relationships with individual donors. I am also involved in marketing, which entails writing blogs about what’s happening on the sites, telling success stories of the young people we work with and marketing it to external audience so they can support us.

Outside of my full time job, I identify individuals who are unemployed and assist them. Currently I’m working with Ntombela Thandu – which means ‘lady of love’ in Xhosa – she is living on the streets and wants to be employed. She does not have an ID document so I’m looking into how she can get one so that she can get employment – not any kind but the type that will have meaning in her life.

How has ACTIVATE! supported you so far in driving this change?

ACTIVATE! has challenged me to think laterally and has taught me the principle of understanding a problem before I can solve it.

The tools I gained have helped me become more structured and has enhanced the work I do. I’m always thinking about how I can use my skills to continue being a change agent.

Many Activators have said to me that before they joined ACTIVATE! they were just happily going along in their lives but now that they are Activators they feel driven to do something. Now I can’t just talk it, I’ve got to walk it.

How do you motivate yourself?

My faith motivates me, I’m a Christian, and I understand that every day has a purpose, no matter how challenging it may be. I want to be a lighthouse for people and shed light on the undiscovered areas of their lives and help them realise their dreams.

Final comment?

No man is an island, we can learn so much from each other. People need to stop working in silence and become vigilant about those around them who can aid them in bringing the change they want to see.

Lastly, I think people must get out of their comfort zones and become involved with what’s happening outside their community. I live in an affluent area and I think leadership in my community needs to encourage people to get more involved. We’re privileged for a reason and we can use our privileges to assist those that are less privileged.