NGO’s youth day event joins forces with house of God to help build the community
In 1976, the South African youth ambushed the government in their staunch refusal to get schooled in a language of instruction that was unfairly skewed in favour of the oppressive government of the time. Their brave efforts and sacrifices of life made way for a rise in international pressure against the Apartheid system and ushered in a new era of reality & policy change.
Fast forward — 46 years later, the battles that the youth in South Africa face today are largely endemic to a broken social system teetering on the brink of collapse. More of these youths are misunderstood, depressed, get pregnant at early teen stages, and, some are also involved in drugs & crime at an early age. South Africa has a youth population of over 10 million between the ages of 15 -24 years of age — with 63,9% of this group falling in the unemployment bracket. (StatsSA).
Taking into account these challenges, I intentionally decided to spend my day at Keabo Entle’s June 16 Celebrations hosted at the Assembly of God church in Mailula Ext 3, Vosloorus. I arrived at the church to find cheer and fun where all gathered for the event were combined.
Keabo Entle is a non-profit organisation that’s been operating since 2019 as a direct response to the widespread poverty, inequality, and unemployment within the community of Vosloorus. The organization’s name which means “beautiful gift” encapsulates the essence of the work they do. They assist children and people that have become casualties of a broken social system by bridging the poverty gap and restoring dignity to children who come from homes where there is no income or income solely dependent on social grants.
According to Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), the unemployment rate in Ekurhuleni is 36.1%, higher than the provincial average nationally, a gloomy state of affairs.
The inspiration for the organization started out of compassion and shared sympathy for the children around the community. The second born in his family was Thabang Mokoena, whose family moved to live in Vosloorus from Wadeville in 1987. Although his family was also a disadvantaged family it was unusual for him to see poverty so close to home. “I lived on one of the main road streets of Mailula that lead to the Thabang Primary School & I used to see a lot of children going to school wearing no shoes or some supposedly being homeless” he says. This caused him to think up ways to close this gap.
It was only in 2019 when he met his business partner Matshegofatsho, that work to realise a childhood dream to alleviate poverty came to fruition. The event is one of the initiatives that Keabo Entle hosts to ensure that the young South Africans — who are the future of this country — are provided with the basic human dignity that everyone deserves. Provision of basic food relief packages, school uniforms, and school bags is how Keabo Entle lends hope to the children in its programmes that are for children of school-going age.
The organization also works closely with grassroots football initiatives like Razzmatazz Football Development Academy to partner in providing skills support and coaching for youth soccer teams.
Celebrations on June 16, included a host of guest speakers from youth community leaders, SAPS, the Department of Health, and Youth development Practitioners— who joined hand in a concerted effort aimed at providing a safe space where children can be led, encouraged, and enlightened to make better choices about their life and its prospects, and, in the same respect armed with life skills that can help them survive the harsh environment of the townships.
While one laments the treacherous levels of GBV in our country, it’s also important to notice that the onslaught of women and children in our society also happens also primarily on an economic level.
A working paper by the Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII),
sought to assess poverty at a grassroots level in Vosloorus. It revealed that the majority of households are female-headed and a large number of households surveyed were also headed by the elderly.
The study noted that “ unlike young people in other parts of the world who typically only have to worry about getting along with family and peer pressure, South African youth have to worry about issues of violence, poverty and HIV/AIDS as well. Their everyday challenges may seem somewhat ordinary, but the circumstances in which they have to live are extraordinary.”
Skhumbuzo, a youth ward councilor — backed by the Ekurhuleni youth council said that “ the youth need to unite so that they can help groom one another and become a formidable voice of change.” This is especially, during youth-focused events because they encourage the right action and right-thinking ahead of the future that awaits them. “We have to be honest enough to realise that our systems in society are failing the youth, especially because the current leadership neglects to provide key mentorship and availability of opportunities for youth to extensively grow”, he said. “Hence a lot of youth are lacking direction & lacking the vibrance similar to that of the youth of 76 because they abuse their basic rights and are not aware of their responsibilities as citizens of a country.”
Ntate Henry Mosiuoa, Deacon of the Church when asked for comment said that he is happy that the church was able to provide space for the day’s events because it potentially closes off the gap & disconnect that exists between youth and bodies of authority, bringing them closer so that their world views and perspectives can be sharpened. He added that he hopes to see continuity in these kinds of events in each and every location as it not only fortifies the work of the church but also contributes to nation-building. “If the nation is not built, there really is no church because the church at its core is made up of the people”, adding that church, as usual, was not enough and that the youth needs to be given attention and refined through educational awareness so that they can be leaders prepared with awareness and intelligence.
Ntate Motaung, also an elder at the church conceded saying that “people tend to forget what is the purpose of the church in the community. The church belongs to the community.” Adding that it is always favourable that the church opens its doors for KeaboEntle because it has also helped its church members before through its school shoes and food donations much to the excitement of the church members who didn’t even know that contribution was not only from the church.
Learn more about the work that Keabo Entle does or donate to their cause here.
