Ziyanda, South Africa | YOUTH-LEADER MAGAZINE > GLOBAL EDITION


It’s like someone has taken the vision I had in my head and started putting it into practice. I have been looking for an organization that would be the right fit with me, with my passion, hopes, dreams and aspirations for myself, my country, Africa as a whole and the rest of the world. Reading the stories and watching the video is like someone speaking directly to my soul, telling me that this is it, this is what you have been searching for all your life, this is what you were placed on this earth to do! I feel like I have come home.

1.      Cool stuff?!
I think the greatest gift is the fact that I will be amongst people who understand. Who think and feel the same way as I do about the world and the role of the youth in it. I have always been a believer in the youth, in what the youth can achieve, given the opportunity. I love the fact that their achievements are highlighted in such an amazing fashion. Oh yeah, really cool!

2.      Did you know that young people are driving such powerful changes?
I’ve always believed that young people are capable of such powerful changes as this has been exhibited in the history of my country. Young people were in the forefront in the fight against apartheid. I’ve always believed that young people around the world were making an impact but the stories were not reaching us and I had no idea about some of the specific changes that they have made. There isn’t enough coverage in mainstream media of these achievements and it’s great to have a magazine dedicated to covering these achievements.

3. What feelings does it give you?
It gives me feelings of hope for the future, happiness at having young leaders that are motivated and focused on helping others and making the world a better place for all. Utopia is possible, it is here, and it is in our hands!

4. Does it change your view of the world, of youth, of citizens?
I have always viewed the world, youth and people in it, in a positive light. I believe in the innate goodness of all humans regardless of how far it might be buried in some of us. I believe that our souls are happiest and at peace when we do good for others. This has just reinforced my views. We as the world have allowed the voice of the cynic to be the loudest voice all because of our fears. Well it is time for the voice of the optimist to reign supreme. After all we do create our futures by what we think and say.

5. Did you ever have access to this in school?
No I never had access to this in school.

6. Do you think it would have been great to know such stories and videos in school?
Yes it would have been great! It would have motivated some of us to not leave the rural communities were born in to look for employment. It would have motivated us to create sustainable opportunities within these communities thereby reducing the gap between the upper class and the poor in my country. As things stand now, the poor are getting poorer due to the brain drain that occurs in the rural communities. We need to inspire these youths to stay put and be the changes that they want to see.

7.      If so, what makes out their value for education?
At the moment in my country our youth has equated democracy with a sense of entitlement, a sense of the government owing them something and an expectation of hand-outs from the government. Stories and videos such as these highlight the privilege that they might take for granted and will teach them gratitude. It will dispel the notion that the grass is greener on the other side and get them to realise that the little that they can contribute can really lead to amazing changes in the world. Sometimes people think that you have to be someone famous or rich to be able to effect change on the world. These stories and videos dispel that myth, they will show them people like them who have been able to have an impact on their community, society and the world.

8. Do you know such from media?
No, none that I’m aware of in mainstream media but I will be on the lookout for them and feedback to you.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Ourselves - The Meaning and Importance of Initiation

Image
Limpopo Boy Initiates Initiation is one of the widely practiced practices in Africa. It is a rite of passage that both boys and girls go through. Rites of passage are an important part of a person's life because they mark the transition from one stage of life to the next. They exist because of the four main stages we go through namely birth, maturation (transition into adulthood), reproduction (marriage and procreation) and death. They help young people navigate the dangerous period between childhood and adulthood and have been proven to have a positive psychological effect on the individual going through it. The absence of rites of passage in some societies have led to the youth creating their own badges of adulthood which vary from obtaining drivers licence, 21st birthday celebrations, experimentation with drugs and alcohol and other dangerous ceremonies. It is apparent that rites of passage are an important and integral part of the human psyche and that in their absence, hu...
Read more

The Camel, the Needle Head, and the Rich Man: What Christians Really Think About Wealth

Image
They say money makes the world go round. You use money to buy basic necessities like food, clothes, and shelter. You use it to pay the bills. You also use it to purchase other things like cars, gadgets, and vacations. Indeed, money can buy you things that will both put food in your mouth or simply make you happy. In a world where society puts so much emphasis on living with a materialistic mindset, many Christians find themselves turning to the Scriptures in search of guidance in the aspect of wealth. What do Christians really think about wealth? The Camel, the Needle Head, and the Rich Man The Bible is rife with stories regarding this topic, one of which refers to the time when Jesus lamented a rich man’s attachment to his wealth. According to the gospel of Matthew, a rich man asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. In reply, Jesus told him to keep all the commandments. The man stated that he has done so, and further asked what he still needs to do. Then J...
Read more

Power to the People

In a democracy, you never make decisions or implement changes without involving the community. This is especially true in South Africa's young democracy. South Africans were deprived the right to oppose the government for so long that now it seems like we are overcompensating. Mind you, I'm not complaining about the number of protests around the country but I am surprised when people who should know better allow for things to escalate to unbearable levels. A prime example of what I'm talking about is what happened in Mseleni Village located in Umhlabuyalingana. A development project was initiated in the area that would have resulted in 200 jobs for the local community. The area is beautiful and tranquil with pristine landscapes and dense untouched forests. The people who live here, although touched by civilization still live off the land and the river that runs through the village. The proposed project was that of a game reserve and the area is perfect for it. This wou...
Read more