The youth in Kayamandi often get left behind when it comes to pursuing tertiary studies, as they are not presented with the same opportunities as those in other communities. Therefore, two non-profit organisations (NPOs) held an event to assist the youth of Kayamandi with university applications for the 2022 academic year.
This was according to Sibabalo Mtonga, a Masters in law (LLM) student at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and motivational speaker at the event.
The recent event in Kayamandi was sponsored by PKF, an audit and accounting firm, which donated stationery packs for the applicants. A data donations drive was also held on various social media platforms due to the fact that the venue had no Wi-Fi connectivity. PHOTO: Sibulela Bolarinwa
“The challenges faced in the community are [factors such as] no access to data, computers, or some not having the money for application fees,” said Nosipho Sishuba, co-host of the event and founder of the Letho-Kuhle Foundation, a local NPO aimed at youth development. The aim of the event was to equip the youth with the necessary resources “to achieve their dreams and to ensure that most students end up in universities”, added Sishuba.
Anyone within the Kayamandi community who needed assistance with university application processes could attend the event, which was held on 19 June, said Viwe Manyifolo, co-host of the event and founder of the Imbewu Foundation, an NPO that was founded with the aim of uplifting young girls in the Eastern Cape. The event was a collaboration between the Imbewu Foundation and the Letho-Kuhle Foundation, said Manyifolo.
“The event is a platform to serve and to provide knowledge,” said Mamusa Makara, an LLM student at UWC, who served as a career advisor at the event. “In the black community our parents want us to do something stable […] but I wish I had someone who advised me to do what I want to do,” she added.
“We all have different journeys in life. Be motivated by others. Don’t let them be your competition,” Sibabalo Mtonga, an LLM student at the University of the Western Cape and motivational speaker, told the youth of Kayamandi during the recent event to assist them with university application processes. PHOTO: Sibulela Bolarinwa
The event was held at Bianca Hall, a local community hall that was easily accessible to the community, said Manyifolo.
Applicants had the opportunity to voice concerns or ask questions surrounding their applications, and in terms of what to expect at university. PHOTO: Sibulela Bolarinwa
Numerous applicants arrived sporadically at the venue between 10:00 and 18:00, said Manyifolo. The extended timeframe was to ensure that prospective applicants could attend between other commitments that they may have had to throughout the day, said Thembelihle Futshana, an application process facilitator at the event who focused on assisting applicants with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) application process.
“I didn’t know how to go about the application process, so this was helpful,” said Loyiso Gaba, who attended the event to obtain assistance, as he matriculated last year but was unable to apply for university.
Nosipho Sishuba, co-host of the event and founder of the Letho-Kuhle Foundation, a local non-profit organisation aimed at youth development, explains how she encourages the youth that she works with to adopt entrepreneurial mindsets in order to evade the prospect of unemployment.