Month: June 2018

Categories
#alumni

Alumni Workshop

Alumni programmes offer many benefits, not least of all to economies struggling with unemployment. They allow organisations to communicate, engage and support their alumni network and for that network of individuals to support each other. Alumni can become some of the most loyal advocates of the organisation and even go so far as to help fundraise for the cause. In addition, experienced alumni might decide to share their learnings with current students through a mentorship programme or job shadow opportunity.

With the launch of the new Alumni Programme, Afrika Tikkun aims to develop a comprehensive database of all former beneficiaries and achieve a target of 1,000 alumni sign ups by the end of 2018. We aim to connect and engage with alumni with a view to understanding their needs and value expectations, and then to keep in touch with alumni for networking, sharing of experiences and mutual support of one another as they pursue their career paths. Furthermore, we would like to inspire and encourage alumni to become mentors, volunteers, ambassadors, donors or access to donors and warm leads.

Afrika Tikkun has four parts to their determination to resolve youth unemployment. One is the Cradle-to-Career 360˚ model in its entirety. The second are our five Centres of Excellence in Orange Farm, Alexandra, Diepsloot, Braampark and Mfuleni. The third is our dedicated facility for job training. The Alumni Programme is a part of this objective, as it furthers our goal to curb youth unemployment amongst anyone who has been part of Afrika Tikkun at any time.

We are really excited about what this programme can do for both our graduates as well as the organisation.

Were you ever a part of Afrika Tikkun’s programmes in Alexandra, Diepsloot, Orange Farm, Braamfontein or Mfuleni in the Cape?

 

Register Here

Contact: Vuyelwam@afrikatikkun.org | 011 325 5914

Categories
2018

Stories of Hope

Celebrating Youth Month: Stories of Hope and Victory

They say, what the young lack in experience they make up for in courage and vision.

Calvin: Bully Turned Motivator

South Africa’s most powerful story to the world is the story of our transformation – recognising where there was wrongdoing and finding the strength to choose to turn it around. Calvin’s story is one like that. We should always celebrate the Calvins. We must never stop telling these stories of hope.

Calvin Kamphinda, a young man of 15 years old, started attending Uthando centre in 2016. Coming from the inner-city of Johannesburg and raised in difficult circumstances, he adopted the violent behaviour he saw around him. He became a bully not only to his peers and classmates but to his teacher as well. One day in class, when his teacher made a xenophobic statement he threatened her with a knife.

After that incident he was expelled from the school. He started attending another school, but his act of violence followed him wherever he went. His peers were afraid of him, and he was isolated at home, and at school. Calvin felt like he was approaching a mental breakdown, feeling lonely and disappointed in himself. During that period his parents gave him one piece of advice in the form of a question, “is this the kind of life you want for yourself?”

 

It stuck with him. He made a decision to always do right, and that began his journey to being a better version of himself. What helped him in his resolve was coming to Afrika Tikkun’s Uthando Center every day. “In my environment it’s not always easy to do the right thing – especially because of the way some people treat you.”  These days Calvin has found a sense of purpose and value in encouraging his peers. He spends his afternoons giving motivational talks to younger learners, and guiding them like a big brother.

 

 

They say when you are living just to survive, you stop dreaming, and when you stop dreaming, you stop planning for the future. The Child and Youth Development Programme has helped thousands of young people realise their potential by enabling them to have access to the economy.

 

Visit Uthando Centre and see for yourself

Visit our Centre in Braamfontein for a tour and a motivation from Calvin. To arrange contact media@afrikatikkun.org

Categories
2018

Mandla Wins

Celebrating Youth Month: Mandla Wins against All Odds

From an early age Mandla had to become a father to his siblings, all the while nursing a broken heart as he watched alcoholism destroy his mother.

Mandla  (19) was registered as a Grade 12 learner at Afrika Tikkun Wings of Life Centre in Diepsloot. He said it was because he wanted to improve his marks because he had already repeated some of his grades. But failing his grades was not the only problem Mandla was facing. His mother’s income from renting 12 rooms and social grants was being spent on alcohol almost exclusively. He and his four siblings (one of whom was an epileptic baby) were starving, unclothed and some had even stopped going to school because fees were not being paid.

Mandla heard about the family support services offered at the Centre and approached the social worker for assistance. The social worker wrote a letter to SASSA requesting that Mandla be made the beneficiary of the social grants and the request was successful. Mandla now receives the social grants for his siblings, and is able to get them what they need. The social worker also negotiated that a portion of Mandla’s mother’ rental income is paid directly to Mandla and further enlisted the support of the community to hold the mother accountable to ensure that Mandla is allowed to use the income he now receives to support and provide for his siblings.

“I didn’t know about the help I could get from Afrika Tikkun. I really had lost hope for my life until I came to the centre,” said Mandla. His grades improved and at the end of his matric year, he passed well. The social worker supported Mandla to apply to a Technikon in Pretoria where he is currently studying Transport and Logistics.

They say when you are living just to survive, you stop dreaming, and when you stop dreaming, you stop planning for the future. The Career Development Programme has helped thousands of young people realise their potential by enabling them to have access to the economy.

 

Visit Wings of Life and see for yourself

Visit our Centre in Diepsloot for a tour. To arrange contact media@afrikatikkun.org

Categories
2018

Ntsiki’s Story

Courage. Energy and Vision May Sometimes Be Enough

They say, what the young lack in experience they make up for in courage and vision. That’s why we need more of their vision and energy in every sector of our society.

In June, we celebrate some of the young people who in one form or another have been touched, transformed or helped toward fulfilling their potential for greatness. These beautiful stories of growth and transformation actually speak a thousand words about the kinds of challenges young people face, and what it takes to complete the journey toward economic empowerment successfully.

All power in Youth Month to the young people of South Africa. They face a rapidly changing world, bursting with opportunity, but not without significant challenges and obstacles. You show courage and vision.

You inspire us to do what we do.

Ntsiki becomes his family’s hero

Helping a young person find work, changes not just their fate, but the fate of their entire family.

Ntsikelelo Mkoko (22) first joined Afrika Tikkun in 2008. One of the programmes offered at the time was aimed at cultivating heroism and courage in young people. Ntsikilelo had to identify a hero in his family and write about that person. Coming from a single parent home with three siblings, this activity encouraged Ntsikilelo to celebrate the positive side of his family, and not dwell on what they lacked.

Ntsiki becomes his family’s hero, Ntsikelelo Mkoko

After losing his father, Ntsiki, as he is commonly known, could not complete his Sports Management tertiary studies and dropped out in 2015. In 2017, he returned to Afrika Tikkun Mfuleni centre and registered for the Work Readiness course. “This programme made me see life in a very different and positive way. It taught me how to carry myself and treat people around me, as well as how to tackle various obstacles in my personal life and the world of work,” shared Ntsiki. His progress improved even more when he got the opportunity to be placed in a learnership.

He is now the breadwinner and only employed member of his family of 5. When asked what his future looks like, Ntsiki said: “Well I see myself successful and I have always had this dream of becoming a donor one day here at Afrika Tikkun because I am a living testimony of what this place can do for youngsters like myself. I’m very proud to call myself a Tikkun product”.

They say when you are living just to survive, you stop dreaming, and when you stop dreaming, you stop planning for the future. The Career Development Programme has helped thousands of young people realise their potential by enabling them to have access to the economy.

 

Would you like to ask Ntsiki a question? Or find out more?

Visit our Centre in Mfuleni for a tour and meet Ntsiki. To arrange contact media@afrikatikkun.org

Categories
2018

Child Protection in Focus

Afrika Tikkun’s year-long Memeza Bazokuzwa campaign focuses on child protection as they use National Child Protection Week to reinforce the message of the child’s rights to speak out and be heard.

 

A 2017 study by the Children’s Institute of the University of Cape Town reports that one in three children will experience sexual or physical abuse before the age of eighteen. But most recently, Parliament heard that 99% of children in South Africa have experienced or witnessed violence and 41% of all reported rape cases in the last 3 years have been of children.

Each year, government and organisations around the country gear up to mark National Child Protection Week with a host of campaigns designed to raise awareness about children’s rights and launch programmes that provide services for their safeguarding. It aims to mobilise all sectors of South African society to care for and protect children as the most vulnerable – and valuable – members of our society. In 2018, Child Protection Week launched on Sunday, 27 May with the theme, “Let us protect all children to move South Africa forward.”

One such organisation is Afrika Tikkun; an NGO with a focus on child and youth development and ending youth unemployment in underprivileged communities. Their work in the child protection arena is an ongoing effort, intended to strengthen the capacity of children to speak out against abuse and empower families and communities to care for and protect their children. 2018 is the year of child protection, and their activities during Child Protection Week 2018, are planned to further instil the theme and call-to-action Memeza Bazokuzwa/ ‘Speak out, they will hear you’.

Addressing staff, stakeholders, parents and children at the launch of Afrika Tikkun’s Child Protection Week activities, CEO Marc Lubner said: “It is of critical importance that the voices of the most vulnerable are empowered to address abuses. It’s time to break the silence around child abuse. Young people need to understand that they can and should hold their guardians accountable for safeguarding their rights. As adults we need to acknowledge that we all have a responsibility to protect children from harm. Let us challenge the culture of tolerance for violence and silence when it is perpetrated against children!”

Dr Jean Elphick, who leads the organisation’s Empowerment Programme adds: “We take child protection very seriously at Afrika Tikkun, and we are investing a lot to bring about institutional change towards greater protection for children. In terms of staff, we submit the details of every employee to SAPS for clearance, and with regards to the Child Protection Register. In addition, every single one of our staff members is currently being trained to apply the Child Protection Policy. It is important for every staff member, visitor and volunteer to understand that young people will only speak out when they have faith that adults will listen to them, hear them, believe them and pursue justice for them in a way that protects their dignity and best interests.”

Elphick continues: “Core to our Memeza Bazokuzwa campaign is encouraging our young people to feel empowered and be encouraged to speak out.”

(Watch Memeza Bazokuzwa’s ‘Family, Memeza!’ on Afrika Tikkun’s YouTube channel)

“We are passionate about addressing the needs of our youth 24/7/365 so that they in turn can contribute to the building of our nation, and we are very fortunate to have the amazing staff, parents, support and benefactors that we do – all involved in the good work that we are able to achieve on a daily basis,” says Elphick.

The Diepsloot Centre of Excellence launched Afrika Tikkun’s 2018 Child Protection Week activities with a parade from Peach Road towards extensions 1, 5, 7 and back on Tuesday, 29 May. The Uthando Centre of Excellence celebrates with their parade on Wednesday, 30 May. Alexandra has their parade through 16th and 17th avenues scheduled for Thursday, 31 May. Orange Farm will celebrate Child Protection Week with a parade on Friday, 1 June and Mfuleni in the Western Cape gears up for their parade closer to Youth Day, on Monday June 11th.

For more information on Afrika Tikkun and their Memeza Bazokuzwa campaign call 011 325 5914, email info@afrikatikkun.org or visit www.afrikatikkun.org.

Issued by:

Tammy Gerber

Paddington Station PR

tammy@paddingtonstationpr.co.za

021 447 0564