09 FEBRUARY 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RE: “ONE BOOK, ONE CHILD’’ CAMPAIGN SCORES A LIBRARY FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LINDELANI, KWAMASHU IN DURBAN!

2017 Activator Melusi Mahlaba, is championing the development of his community by empowering it with the skill of reading.

The local municipality of Kwamashu in Durban KZN is building a temporary library for the community of Lindelani, thanks to social entrepreneur, Melusi Mahlaba, the Lindelani Youth Forum (LYF) and Cllr N.C Biyela. After an ideas sharing workshop that was held by Activators at the Activate! Offices in Durban towards the end of 2017, Mahlaba and his team showed unmatched dedication to selling books around his community, using the very catchy slogan: One book, One child. While zealously selling books in their community, they managed to connect with other young people who share their passion for reading and they campaigned for a library in the community of Lindelani.

 “Given the fact that the municipality responded really fast, we’ll settle for the temporary library for now. Once that is up and running, we can see about getting something more permanent.”

The “One book, one child” campaign started in October 2017 after Mahlaba joined an Activator program to distribute books to underprivileged communities. By November 2017, Mahlaba and his team were already holding dialogues and arranging a peace walk in a quest to get the attention of the local municipality. When these attempts seemed futile, these young people and their councilor took to the municipality’s social media streets and established a presence that could not be ignored.

It is this spirit of bravado that made the local municipality of Kwamashu pay attention. That is why in February 2018, just four months after the cause to encourage reading, the community of Lindelani Kwamashu is getting a temporary library built right at the center of their community.

The youth of Lindelani deserves much praise for their efforts and dedication. It is they, who founded the Lindelani Youth Forum as a Lindelani youth development division which runs various sustainability community developmental programs. LYF is an organization recognized as a youth organization. This team of young, enthusiastic, creative and dynamic professionals with a stream of innovative ideas is based in Lindelani.

The Lindelani Youth Forum (LYF) provides open development which tribute from situational analysis of Lindelani community needs. LYF is a community programme due to perform income generating projects and skills development activities in numerous sectors and industries that include but not limited to; Arts and Culture, Sports & Recreation, Social development, Health and Education & Careers for which are projects of youth involving activities. LYF was conserved in July 2015 and the registration was only completed in 2016.

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About ACTIVATE!:

ACTIVATE! is a network of young leaders equipped to drive change for the public good across South Africa. Connecting youth who have the skills, sense of self and spark to address tough challenges and initiate innovative and creative solutions that can reshape our society.

For more information on “One book, one child” contact:

Melusi Mhlaba: 062 006 8767

On social media:

Twitter: @ActivateZA

Facebook: ACTIVATE! Change Drivers

Website: www.activateleadership.co.za

Instagram: Activate_za