Negotiating adolescence promises to be an interesting journey. Imagine navigating high school grades; parents and their enduring love that might not feel like love at the time; positive and negative peer pressures, as well as a rapidly developing body and mind. For some teenagers like Calvin and Wanayi, this furnace disguised as growth has the potential to be a forging fire instead of a melting one. Two young adults with different dreams, different backgrounds but one common flame of determination – to write their own destiny! Here is why Uthando Centre is celebrating these bright minds:

Congratulations are in order to Wanayi Jenje (16) and Calvin Kamphinda (18) whose short stories made it to the semi-finals after they both entered Jon Elkon’s MEGASAGA 4 Short Story Competition. Born in South Africa, Jon Elkon is a UK-based published novelist and poet – his short story competition opened on the 12^th of May, inviting anyone from anywhere to submit a story containing 100 words from start to end, title included. Young people within our Child and Youth Development programme (CYD) were encouraged to apply, they even attended a short writing workshop at Uthando Centre – and what happened next was something we all did not predict.

On the 7^th of July, Jon Elkon announced the shortlisted entries on his website. After noticing that most entries were coming from young people aged between 14 – 18 years, the author made it public that for the first time ever, he will have two categories running simultaneously. The junior champion stands in line to win £25 (R513) with the senior prize standing at £100 for 100 words!

On the 28^th July 2021, the winners were announced on Jon Elkon’s blog and Uthando Centre could not be more proud of our young people, proud of every young person who took on the challenge with courage and submitted an entry. Wanayi Jenje was ultimately the Junior Champion. What fills our hearts with joy is that our SRC members, Wanayi and Calvin who are chairpersons for Creative Minds and Peer Educators respectively, are also both in the NPC Junior Board – such synchronicity is staggering! The link below includes all short stories that made the shortlist, Calvin is in the race with his story, A Rainy Pandemic, while Wanayi exceeded everyone’s expectations and submitted 3 stories, ‘Little World, Big Child’,

The T-Systems ICT Academy, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, headquartered in Germany, has been acquired by Afrika Tikkun and the Maharishi Invincibility Institute, to broaden access to digital skills training to disadvantaged youth across South Africa.

The non-profit organisations did not disclose how much they paid for the ICT Academy.
ITWeb, in October last year, broke the news that IT services company Gijima had acquired its former tender rival T-Systems South Africa (TSSA) for an undisclosed amount.

In February this year, the Competition Commission unconditionally approved the acquisition of TSSA by Gijima.
In a statement yesterday, Maharishi Invincibility Institute and Afrika Tikkun say after the sale of TSSA early in 2021, T-Systems looked for the most fitting partner for its ICT and Digital Skills Training Academy, which has operated for over 18 years.

Maharishi Invincibility Institute is a non-profit private college and self-development organisation. This public benefit organisation provides bursary loans and self-development programmes for bright, deserving youth to further their studies and assists them to find employment opportunities when they graduate.

Afrika Tikkun provides a holistic development model in disadvantaged communities, with a focus on early childhood development, child and youth development, and career development. According to Maharishi and Afrika Tikkun, the T-Systems ICT Academy has successfully trained and placed over 3 000 formerly unemployed youth in employment opportunities across South Africa’s ICT sector. Shirley Vrnjas, TSSA’s community trust board member, comments: “We went through a rigorous selection process to find the most appropriate partner to take over the T-Systems ICT Academy. We are very excited about the formation of the Digital Youth ICT Academy, and the powerful and purposeful non-profit organisations behind it now. The original objective of the T-Systems ICT Academy, which is to equip unemployed youth for full-time employment, remains even more critical today as it did 18 years ago.”

With the sale of the ICT Academy, it has been renamed the Digital Youth ICT Academy (Digital Youth), and the partners’ joint vision is to create the largest Digital ICT Academy in South Africa.

Marc Lubner, group CEO of Afrika Tikkun, comments: “Two significant not-for-profit organisations in SA have formed a joint venture which pools our resources to ensure even greater success.
“We are truly excited to be involved in a partnership like this one, which is unusual in the non-profit sector in South Africa and will form a platform for much more collaboration of this nature going forward.” Digital Youth recognises the need and massive opportunity to develop ICT and digital skills to empower and equip the youth of South Africa to become economically active. It notes that creating digital markets and boosting digitisation can yield significant economic benefits and lead to substantial social benefits to societies and communities. Digitisation has the potential to increase productivity, create new jobs and enhance the quality of life for society at large, it adds.
The academy notes that research by McKinsey & Company shows the accelerated adoption of digital technologies could triple SA’s productivity growth, more than double growth in per capita income, and add more than a percentage point to South Africa’s real GDP growth rate over the next decade.

Digital Youth will collaborate closely with its partners in determining the skillsets that require the most focus. These skills will include cloud, cyber security, infrastructure, software engineering, robotics, animation and app development, to name a few.

It will also work closely with existing educational and digitally-related programmes already in place in Africa.
However, Afrika Tikkun and the Maharishi Invincibility Institute will significantly expand the joint offering. The centre will provide leadership and job placements at scale for clients wishing to recruit from a pool of skilled academy graduates.

“Digital Youth will allow all our partners to skill and upskill their employees and to ensure employability of youth who otherwise would not have been able to access the requisite skills. Working closely with our partners on filling their scarce skills gaps will be a game-changer,” says Dr Taddy Blecher, CEO of Maharishi Invincibility Institute.
Existing learning and training programmes will be augmented with digital skills to increase the value these learners and trainees will contribute to their existing or future workplaces.

“I could imagine no better home for the academy. The culture fit is amazing and the value set is completely aligned. This collaboration will certainly allow us to realise our vision to continue to build our nation through providing relevant skill development,” concludes Marcus Karuppan, general manager of Digital Youth ICT Academy.

An organisation based in Johannesburg organisation Africa Tikkun wants to plant millions of trees to help improve quality air and the biodiversity in urban areas. With the help of community members, thousands of trees are planted in communities like Diepsloot.

Taking part in efforts to green communities will help create ‘green lungs’ which would help reduce global warming, according to Cape Town-based organisation, AfriStar Foundation.

Planting trees helps to create ‘green lungs’ in cities, which aid in the reduction of global warming, carbon emissions and the urban heat island effect. Additionally, trees improve local air quality,

The other benefits of planting trees, according to the foundation, is that the biodiversity of urban areas drastically increases, while providing habitat for birds and small animals, and supplying fresh fruit and welcome shade to people in the community.

Tree planting also increases water retention in township soils, create natural and pleasant noise barriers, and add both aesthetic and economic value.

The planting of trees in townships, something that many people couldn’t do in their own backyards because the size of the yards allocated to them, is now becoming a part of people’s lifestyle. Trees were often planted on main roads, at a park nearby or in schoolyards where there was enough space.

In townships like Diepsloot, an organisation called Afrika Tikkun is on a mission to plant more trees, with the aim of improving the air quality. The project started in 2018 and to date, hundreds of trees are being planted in other townships.

On the organisation’s website, the then CEO Marc Lubner, is quoted saying he was the one who started the regreening projects that would benefit the township’s residents. The organisation said the regreening projects are informed by their values, one being the values of responsible kindness.

“There’s a need for Afrika Tikkun to demonstrate in practical terms, how, through the planting of trees, we can teach moral regeneration and the value of life,” Lubner said.

Lubner said children from an early should be taught the values of caring for a plant.

“If a child is taught the value of caring for the life of a plant, then the child will treasure and value all lives. As a result, in September 2019, Afrika Tikkun’s Wings of Life Centre in Diepsloot, partnered with Plantnation to plant 80 trees at the centre and at the Basa Tutorial School,” he explained.

Trees that are planted by the organisation are mainly indigenous and local fruit trees, which makes them adaptable to all weather conditions and consume less water – such trees are good to plant in areas where there is water scarcity.

According to the organisation, in June 2020, an assessment was done to determine how many of the trees survived – about 90% of the trees were able to keep their bodies and soul together.

David Mokwena, a primary caretaker of the trees at Wings of Life Centre, told the organisation in 2020 that he enjoys this task of nurturing the trees. Mokwena said he waters the trees at least three days a week.

“I’m happy the trees are growing so well; they look so green and healthy,” David said, who added and said although 5 trees died out of the 80, that still made him sad.

Source: Social TV

ALEXANDRA – The feeding scheme allows us to probe into various social issues such as marital problems, drug abuses, and grant requirements, says Mhlanga.

Impoverished residents of Alexandra will no longer have to go to sleep on empty stomachs.

This follows the striking of a partnership between the Jewish charity organisation, Afrika Tikkun and the Gauteng Department of Social Development, whose sole purpose is that of feeding the hungry members of the community of this historic township.

This also includes those community members who might have lost their jobs as a result of the twin problems of Covid-19 and the recent wave of looting and destruction of shops and warehouses which engulfed Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, with Alexandra being one of the hardest hit areas in Johannesburg.The feeding scheme, known as the Community Nutrition Development Centre (CNDC), which is located at Afrika Tikkun’s Phuthaditjaba Centre at the heart of the once socially vibrant township, was established in April and so far caters for 250 beneficiaries.

“This figure [250] is by no means static, as it continues to grow from day-to-day as more members of the community continue to pour in as word of the feeding scheme spreads,” said CNDC senior social worker Thokozani Mhlanga during an interview with Alex News.

Mhlanga said beneficiaries were interviewed when they visited the centre. “This process allows us to pick up on various social problems such as marital issues to which we then refer the couples to Famsa [Family and Marriage Society of South Africa] while those with drug addiction problems are referred to Sanca [South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence].”

For those who might need social grants, Mhlanga said they were referred to Sassa (South African Social Security Agency) and children who should be attending an Early Childhood Development Centre were enrolled at the in-house crèche.Meals are served on Monday to Friday and the centre is closed over the weekend, Mhlanga said, adding that they also catered for casual meal seekers as they could not turn anyone away.

Source: AlexNews

us what made you choose sports as a career?  “I grew up playing soccer, my dream was to be a pro soccer player but I broke my leg, and sadly, that was the end of Thomas the player. Luckily I could still follow my passion using a different path. And this was the beginning of Thomas the coach. My passion for sports was the reason I chose this career”.

What formal qualification did you attain to enter this field?  “At the beginning I had a love of and passion for sports, and I completed little sports workshops at the age of 18, in Sports Administration and Soccer coaching.  I did it with SASA-South Africa Soccer Association. (Today called SAFA). These workshops were my foundation.  But what made the big difference to my status was the Sports Management Qualification that I did in 1995 at Boston- this kick-started my career as a professional in the field.”

What does your job entail? “My job entails developing the sports programs in accordance with the Afrika Tikkun strategy. Train the trainer in Sports, Life skills for players, fundraising for the programs and developing partnerships with the Federations of the sports that we compete in”.

Tell our readers what an average day is like for you? “I start at my desk either at the Head office, or the Centre where I will be working on that day.  I check emails and plan for my day. Then I meet with the team to go plan their day, as far as coaching the kids in the afternoon.  We like to review the last session, and plan forward as we try Thomas Taole – Subject Matter Expert _{to do better than the last sessions”.} In Sports at Afrika Tikkun

Taole tells us that what he enjoys the most is travelling – his is not a static job. “It’s also meeting different people, youth, and sports stars. And I have great flexibility in my job – I work 9-5 but in different spaces and each day is different. On top of all of this – I love what I do!” according to Taole he has hit the jackpot –“ Getting paid to do what you love is so awesome – basically this is my hobby, so getting paid to do this is a bonus!”

We asked Taole if there were any negative aspects to his job. “Well, this is a competitive industry. In addition, not everyone takes sports seriously. The government and professional clubs can treat athletes and managers with no respect- compare this to Europe and the USA and we can see where South Africa is lacking”.

Taole lists highlights of his career as travelling to the UK with a team of triathletes. Also, “winning a race in USA with another team was extraordinary moment. My graduation in Sports Education was definitely something to treasure at Boston Campus. The first in the family to achieve that. “

What does Taole believe are the three most important attributes that his position requires? Fitness of body and mind, patience, and subject knowledge.  “You need to know your subjects so knowledge is the key and that is where Sports Education, such as the options at Boston, is fundamental”.

Taole says that his job is to “empower young and old in sports development, and to identify talent in the youth – and above all – to keep them active for life”. What are his life tips?

• You need both experience as well as training in this field.
• You need to be a people’s person with great communication skills.
• Contribute to fundraising activities as well as your day job – I am the Sports Director of the Organization so I need to ensure my salary!
• As some wise man once said, “Be passionate about what you do and you will never have to work another day”.
• Sometimes talent alone is not enough – get a Higher Qualification in Admin, Coaching and/or Sports. This country has high unemployment; you need to have something more to offer.

Contact the Boston Call centre on 011 551 2000, visit www.boston.co.za

45  Support Centres Nationwide   National Call Centre 0861 BOSTON

Boston City Campus & Business College (Pty) Ltd Reg. No.1996/013220/07 is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher  education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No.101 of 1997). Registration Certificate No. 2003/HE07/002. T’s & C’s Apply.

In September 2021, Statistics SA released their Inflation-adjusted National Poverty Lines report and found that a person in South Africa needs at least R624 per month just to buy enough food to survive.

To buy enough food to survive and to buy non-food necessities (the upper-bound poverty line), the report states that an individual needs R1335 per month.

Pre-Covid, people somehow survived on a minimum of R547 per month, but the pandemic has made things worse for the average South African. Food inflation has risen to 6.3%, the highest since 2017.

In addition, South Africa’s latest figures, released before Covid-19, showed that almost half of the population over the age of 18 falls below the upper-bound poverty line. This number may be a lot higher now, post-Covid, as 2020 forecasts were that the pandemic was likely to push an additional one million people into poverty, widening the inequality gap even further.

An Oxfam survey that interviewed economists from 79 countries found that the world’s poorest people were likely to take more than ten years to recover to pre-pandemic levels if governments don’t act now to reduce inequalities.

Another study, by the World Bank, showed that South Africa’s ‘inequality of opportunity’ rating (which measures access to quality basic services such as education and healthcare) is higher than that of any other country. Most South Africans earn only enough to buy food and a few necessities and have nothing left over to access services such as quality education and quality healthcare – both of which have been negatively affected by the pandemic. The recent looting and unrest only made things worse. Those who were barely coping have been pushed to breaking point, so that the perpetual cycle of poverty for many shows little signs of easing.

Afrika Tikkun, one of South Africa’s leading NGOs, has found a way to ensure that more people have access to quality basic services at a fraction of the cost that they would normally be required to pay. For example, Afrika Tikkun’s Educational and Primary Healthcare Programmes, offered at marginal costs in comparison to the quality of service, make it accessible to poor families who are excluded from these services offered by the private sector.

The Primary Healthcare Programme is one of several that supports Afrika Tikkun’s overarching Cradle-to-Career 360° holistic developmental model. The programme gives underprivileged families and their children access to quality healthcare services such as immunisations, growth monitoring and physical education, along with early treatment for childhood illnesses. In addition, it provides integrated home-based care, adherence support for HIV/Aids and tuberculosis, health promotion, palliative care, and a chronic dispensary unit for the distribution of medication for family members. These services, offered swiftly and efficiently, make a huge difference to families who would otherwise be queuing at government institutions to receive the barest minimum.

The Primary Healthcare programme is only one strand of their multi-faceted suite of services to poor and vulnerable communities in support of their ‘Cradle-to-Career’ objective.

‘As a company, Afrika Tikkun strives to stay relevant,’ says Alef Meulenberg, the CEO. ‘We adapt quickly so that we can respond to community and societal needs, for example, by providing Covid-19 tests and vaccines through our clinics.’ This helps Afrika Tikkun to meet the communities’ immediate and long-term needs. ‘By doing so, we are able to make a difference in underprivileged communities, who are often excluded from the economy and basic services.’

As a result, Afrika Tikkun is creating consumers from non-consumers, narrowing the wide inequality gap by providing much-needed access to essential and high-quality services. Through access to these services, poverty-stricken communities stand a chance of breaking the cycle of poverty.

‘In 2022, we want to scale our operations and extend them countrywide,’ says Meulenberg.

What this means is a major push to decentralise their Cradle-to-Career programme along with its support programmes, such as Primary Healthcare. Partnerships with other organisations will be key.

‘We will form more partnerships with local, community-based organisations in order to implement our programmes and services. Partners will have access to our material; we’ll provide training and we’ll give them ongoing support. Our aim is to ensure that more and more people benefit.’

Afrika Tikkun’s decentralised model is an example of the collaboration and sharing that is so needed in the CSI space today. By opening up their expertise and making it available to others, with targeted support, they will at least double the impact of their work, reaching more people who desperately need access to quality essential services.

A local non-prot organisation, Afrika programmes manager at the facility Julia Tikkun Wings of Life Centre in Dicpsloot, Thobakgale thanked parents for trusting hosted its annual Child and Youth Afrika Tikkun with the development of Development Awards on November 20 to their children and the stakeholders for honour hard-working youngsters. always getting involved and engaging with Marketing coordinator at Afrika Tikkun the centre for a better society. in Diepsloot Linda Tlou said, “The awards “The Child and Youth Development not only aim to inspire young people to Programme has a very critical role to play reach their full potential but serves in in the developmental processes of our creating an environment that inspires children or young people in society. Afrika
learning. knowledge generation and Tikkun’s Child and Youth Development knowledge acquisition in the youth. Programme works holistically towards “The awards do not only focus on the changing the environment in which young academic achievements of individual people live to facilitate their emotional, young people but looks at different intellectual, physical, mental and social Precious Hlaka.

Gerhard Morerwa and Yolanda Xashi attend the outcomes that young people excel in such development and growth,” she said. Afrika Tikkun youth awards. Photo: Supplied

On Thursday, the 20^th of January, 2022, Afrika Tikkun Uthando Centre hosted TotalEnergies South Africa as they kick-started their stationery donation campaign and gifted our pre-schoolers and school-going children with backpacks and stationery items. As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility Action! Program, TotalEnergies South Africa launched a Back to School Campaign which aims to empower and build local communities, and this year, the multinational energy company started the year by assisting and enabling learners registered in our Child and Youth Development (CYD) and Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme with back-to-school goodies!

Our Early Childhood Development programme is a foundational programme that tends to the first step in supporting our children’s intellectual and social growth with a major outcome of getting children school-ready. Upon completion, graduated grade R learners are then absorbed into our Child and Youth Development programme – an afterschool programme designed to improve the developmental years through adequate education, leadership, arts, sporting, career and personal development, specifically while still in the schooling system. All Afrika Tikkun centres of excellence will receive school supplies for registered learners in both the ECD and CYD programmes.

“TotalEnergies South Africa has been with us for a while. It always warms my heart with its thoughtful donations and gifts. I would like to express a big thank you, for taking care of our children while meeting us, as parents, halfway” – added a parent after the stationery handover at Uthando Centre. 

Thank you TotalEnergies South Africa

After attending the gardening workshop in May 2021, being a part of the CDP program and volunteering at the Zolile Malindi garden, Athabongile managed to obtain a piece of land to pursue his gardening dreams at a local school in Mfuleni. Mfuleni High School (two) recently introduced Agriculture as a skill to be taught to their students currently doing grades 8-10. One of his major challenges however, was a shortage of equipment to use in the garden. Athabongile was lucky enough to receive a donation of R2000 which went towards a number of equipment that he needed: 

• Hose pipe 
• Safety boots 
• Working suits (3) 

• Gloves (3) 
• 2 fork spades 
• 2 spades 
• Safety boots (3 pairs) 
• Rain suit (1) 

• Hand cultivators 
• 40% shade net (6) 

“I am so excited to have received these equipment today as they will come in handy for the new project that has started at Mfuleni High School. I had to put being a part of this project on hold due to not having sufficient equipment. I am extremely grateful to Afrika Tikkun and the donor who supported my dream.”  

Athabongile has the following plans for the near future: 

1. To register as a business. 

2. To share his skills with young people at Mfuleni High School. 

3. To continue giving back to Afrika Tikkun in programs such as G2K and Agripreneurship. 

Ahead of this year’s State of the Nation Address, Unicef South Africa and Afrika Tikkun call for children and young people to be put first in the Covid-19 recovery, to ensure their voices and opinions are heard as we work to reimagine a safer, fairer and better South Africa for every child, for everyone.

Nearly two years have passed since South Africa locked down to slow the spread of Covid-19.

The immediate response was to shield the most vulnerable – the elderly and immunocompromised, who evidently faced the most severe health consequences – and to simultaneously protect frontline workers and health systems from being overwhelmed.  

Lives were saved but to date more than 95,000 people have died and countless others have had their livelihoods destroyed and futures uprooted by the pandemic.

Children and young people have, thankfully, mostly not been affected by severe disease. But since the day we first stayed home, it was clear that they would not be spared from the broader impact of Covid-19.

Twenty-four months later, the data do not provide easy reading.

Nearly 95,000 children have lost parents and guardians, the highest number of Covid orphans on the continent. The percentage of people aged between 15 and 34 who are not in employment, education or training reached almost 65% in the second quarter of 2021. Access to child health services dropped, education has been severely disrupted and children increasingly exposed to violence, while gender-based violence has been described as the second pandemic.

But while it’s easy to lose hope, we haven’t, and neither should you, because children and young people in South Africa are resilient and have not lost hope. They have their futures ahead of them and are determined to do what they can to thrive.

Walk around any Afrika Tikkun centre in the most deprived communities of the country and you will see what action and inspiration mean. Engaged and creative children and young people determined to learn new digital skills, to refine traditional skills, such as crop growing, while developing their entrepreneurial minds and seeking new ventures that speak to today’s South Africa. 

Unicef and Afrika Tikkun are just two of many organisations across the country working to maximise the creativity and energy of South Africa’s children and young people, while providing a platform for their voices, opinions and solutions to be heard and acted on.

A global intergenerational poll commissioned by Unicef and released on World Children’s Day, 20 November 2021, showed that young people are 50% more likely than older generations to believe the world is becoming a better place – yet impatient for action relating to the mounting crises.

Following last year’s July unrest, communities came together to rebuild, with young people at the heart, cleaning the streets and engaging in productive dialogues on community radio.

In the Covid-19 response, young volunteers have been helping people over 60 and younger to register for and get access to Covid-19 vaccines. Many young people are engaging in productive dialogue online to tackle misinformation and disinformation about Covid-19 with facts and science-based evidence.

Covid-19 has exacerbated issues that were already affecting children and young people and brought many of them back to the front of our attention.

As we stayed home, the importance of a nurturing and caring childhood once again shone in the spotlight. When Covid-19 stokes fear in our neighbourhoods, when livelihoods are lost, when the stresses of life become too much for adults, it’s often children who bear the brunt.

Without a nurturing, protective and stable environment at home, children will always struggle to reach their full potential. Positive parenting and early childhood experiences set the scene for a child’s life and can do more than anything to break the horrific cycle of violence against children and women in South Africa.

That’s why we need a collective and sustained response and investment in parents and children, from early childhood development to a productive and fulfilling transition to adulthood. There can be no “lost generation”.

Let’s embrace the narrative of hope and use today as an opportunity to build back better. DM

Christine Muhigana is Unicef’s South Africa Representative and Alef Meulenberg is CEO of Afrika Tikkun.

Source

In efforts to contribute to South Africa’s Covid-19 response strategy, the providers of the Agility and Resilience course have entered into a partnership with Innovator Trust. The objective of this partnership is to mitigate and adapt to the impact and consequences of Covid-19. It is necessary to form such partnerships as the scale of the impact of Covid-19 on businesses calls for a multi-organisational response. The parties to this partnership are socially responsible organisations that have demonstrated commitment to socio-economic development.

Resilience and Agility Nation Building Initiative

“The Corona Virus has thrown individuals, families, organisations and countries into unprecedented levels of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambivalence (VUCA) and consequent disruption,” says former Public Protector SA and Social Justice Chair, Stellenbosch Prof Thuli Madonsela. Individuals, families and companies are called upon to thrive while mental health is challenged in an exponentially changing environment with concomitant extreme uncertainty. Personal, family and organisational resilience is important for the entire ecosystems within which businesses operate.

The key to transcending exponential and operational landscape changes and heightened uncertainty challenges lies in the ability to respond to adversity in an agile and resilient fashion, bouncing back speedily and having the grit to stay the course.

The series brings together women in the ICT space to foster a culture of peer-peer networking, access to industry experts and business leadership skills over a 2-day leadership training experience. “We have been privy to the sheer desperation and unprecedented chaos and disruption that South African SMMEs have had to experience over the last two years and what is clear to us, now more than ever, is the need to not back down but rather to ramp up the support for small businesses,” said Tashline Jooste, CEO of the Innovator Trust. “Within the field of technology, women are still a particularly marginalised group and so as the rest of the world collectively begins to grapple with life and business under a pandemic, the Innovator Trust remains resolute in our cause to do all we can to nurture the growth of SMMEs, so that we not only ensure survival but serve as a catalyst for growth and thriving in this ‘new normal.’”

The Epic Women Entrepreneur’s Leadership Series, which will take place over 7 and 8 February 2022 in Cape Town, Western Cape, has been curated specifically for female beneficiaries of the Innovator Trust’s incubation programmes. As part of the series, female beneficiaries of the Afrika Tikkun organisation will also be participating.

Source

A Greek proverb states, “A civilisation flourishes when people plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.”

The profound sentiment in this phrase is that planting seeds, engaging in positive actions or establishing meaningful structures can create benefits that are felt far into the future. Undoubtedly, there is an innate selflessness that drives such acts, ones that reap rewards largely for future generations.

In is within this vein that the Schauenburg Educational Trust generously sponsored the Afrika Tikkun Science, Engineering and Technology Centre at the Afrika Tikkun’s Wings of Life Centre in Diepsloot. The building was officially unveiled on 8 February 2022.

The Schauenburg Education Trust has long provided bursaries for young people in the fields of Engineering and Economics. During the organisation’s strategic reflection on how best to make a sustainable impact on the youth in South Africa, infrastructure support was deemed the natural next step. “We want to create something that demonstrates that we have been active in South Africa for decades,” says Florian G. Schauenburg, CEO of Schauenburg International. “While our companies are foreign-owned, many are based in South Africa. This is why we are committed to helping build a healthy country. We believe transformation begins with education. We don’t see this building as an investment so to speak, but an enjoyable activity that we are delighted to be supporting.”

The building will serve as a space for learning and exploration in general and the implementation of Afrika Tikkun’s Career Development and Placement (CDP) Programme in particular. Within this programme is the organisation’s signature Work Readiness course. According to Onyi Nwaneri, CEO for Afrika Tikkun Services, the training and placement arm of Afrika Tikkun, this building is not simply a concrete structure but a vehicle for transformation. “This building is part of the educational fabric of Diepsloot. Our support to young people is not once-off. We bring them into our programmes so that they get active enough to give back to their communities,” says Nwaneri. “Our skills development programmes help increase their access to the South African economy; we strive to sustain that access through our Alumni Programme.”

This notion of providing support throughout a young person’s life cycle is the basis of Afrika Tikkun’s Cradle to Career framework. The impact of this approach is clearly demonstrated by Sibogile Mathebula’s success story. The former CDP participant who was present at the opening of the centre, opted to return to Afrika Tikkun to work as a volunteer after her graduation from the CDP Programme. Mathebula was able to put the training and personal development learned while on the CDP Programme to propel her into her current position of Interim Manager of the CDP Programme.  

The new Afrika Tikkun Science, Engineering and Technology Centre stands as a beacon of hope and is part of a larger emblem of inspiration in the community of Diepsloot. The Afrika Tikkun Wings of Life centre is unmissable amidst the bustle of a busy and densely populated community. As a space that provides respite, creativity and a pathway to excellence, it is of the community, for the community and belonging to community. It will continue, particularly with the addition of the new centre, to help change the lives of hundreds of young people and in turn, hundreds of families in Diepsloot.

Corporate sector has billions on its balance sheets and is willing to
invest locally, writes Marc Lubner, CEO of Afrika Tikkun

While SA’s economy has been battered by the pandemic over the past two years, we are not yet down and out. But to move forward, we need fresh ideas, agility, collaboration and greater ambition.

Finance minister Enoch Godongwana faced a tough balancing act in his first national budget this week, juggling the pressing need for service delivery and poverty alleviation with business-friendly policies for growth and the ever- increasing cost of servicing government debt. Over the past decade, the fiscal space for the finance minister to operate in has become ever more constrained, as SA’s prospects appear dimmer and the needs more urgent.

Consequently, the minister’s focus on job creation and economic growth should come as no surprise. Real GDP — stripping out the impact of inflation — is expected to grow only 2.1% this year and an average of 1.8% over the next three years. “We have had more than a decade of economic stagnation,” the minister acknowledged. “Only through sustained economic growth can South Africa create enough jobs to reduce poverty and inequality … We do not aspire to be a below-2%- growth economy. We are capable of so much more.”

South Africans everywhere believe we are capable of more. SA will be fortunate to record our highest-ever tax revenue of R1.5-trillion at the end of the financial year next month, thanks to booming commodity prices. The minister has made the right choice to use this surplus to consolidate debt. But this cannot be a once-off windfall. We need to supercharge our growth so tax revenue is higher every year, because we offer an environment in which businesses are able to thrive. We’re hungry for change, and we want to see greater ambition. We believe that there is another way to promote inclusive economic growth — one that would see an equal, three-way partnership between business, civil society, and the government. We seem so locked into the paradigm of state delivery for social services and
infrastructure that we risk not being able to see that this path is not the only one.

The private sector and civil society are ready to step up. Our corporate sector has billions on its balance sheets and is willing to invest locally with encouragement from the government. We should be providing tax credits for businesses that invest in the informal sector. Those companies that are shown to be investing in skill creation and growing employment should receive cheaper finance. In other words, we need to take the existing employment tax incentive, now worth R1,500 a month, to the next level. Loan guarantees for small and medium businesses (SMEs) are long overdue, but they do not go far enough. We should be doing much more to support our SMEs. This is the sector where the most jobs should be created.

The National Development Plan aimed for SMEs to create 90% of jobs by 2030, but instead, the sector creates only around 28% of jobs. For most economies, the SME sector is an engine for innovation, but in SA, it is where businesses are most hamstrung by red tape. It’s clear SMEs have been overlooked for too long, despite well-meaning supplier development initiatives linked to empowerment scores. For most economies, the SME sector is an engine for innovation, but in SA, it is where businesses are most hamstrung by red tape SMEs need a broader support base to grow and stabilise their operations. We can encourage them to register their operations, and offer access to working capital and tax holidays to incentivise innovation. Tax breaks of up to three years would allow SMEs to build their capital bases.
Godongwana promised “tough love” for ailing state-owned enterprises (SOEs), with some being retained while others may be rationalised or consolidated. With our sovereign balance sheet running dry, we should consider incentivising the private sector to operate and co-own SOEs. Some proposals to do exactly this are already under way — such as the proposal to privatise the Post Office.

We welcome the expansion of the social relief of distress grant and the expanded child support grant, the commitment to health and education services, and the accelerated investment in infrastructure.
These are important measures and grants are crucial to keeping many households afloat, but they are not the final intervention people are looking for. Young people are thirsty for jobs and dignity, rather than handouts, and we must capitalise on this. The private sector has a proven track record of delivery and a solutions-oriented mindset. But on its own, it is not enough to bring lasting, impactful change.

For this, we need to look at civil society, which has grassroots expertise, unparalleled networks, and deep understanding of tangled and interlinked issues. We would like to see co-operative planning among all three players, on an area-by- area basis, so that we respond to the community’s own needs rather than impose grand national plans that risk being tone deaf and unresponsive. There are plenty of good ideas and gutsy initiatives — but rolling them out, tracking results and scaling up for real impact demands commitment and skill. Implementation, rollout and delivery is not glamorous work, and after the start of a project there are few photo opportunities. It’s about getting logistics, training,
admin and operations in order — and it’s essential. We are working directly with business and the government to make our vision a reality. That’s why we can say with certainty that we can do more. From our own experience, we have seen corporates that are willing to commit to funding initiatives for change. They are by no means the exceptions. It’s time to allow the private sector to support real, meaningful, development. This week’s budget should be welcomed for its commitment to sensible measures that will unleash our economy. But this should only be the very beginning of the conversation.
We need to take this forward with real action and a commitment to do what’s best for the country, rather than ourselves or our own individual groups. The government has outlined its role. Business and civil society will follow suit.

• Lubner is group CEO of Afrika Tikkun

Source: novusonlinenews.co.za

Source: news24

A mere five kilometres away from Africa’s richest square mile, lies one of Gauteng’s most squalid townships: Alexandra. Unlike its wealthier counterpart, Sandton, Alexandra township is synonymous with abject poverty, a lack of proper water and sanitation as well as scant resources and opportunities. Like most, if not all, townships Alexandra is a microcosm that reflects the stark and harsh reality of a broader South Africa. Many black South African youths within our townships are forced to contend with hunger, violence, instability and unemployment on a daily basis; and an invasive sense of hopelessness.

It is against this disparaging backdrop, that Afrika Tikkun serves, operates and intervenes. Through its comprehensive and holistic approach to social development, Afrika Tikkun seeks to make a meaningful impact, one child and family at a time. We believe that the success of any society is linked to the well-being of each of its citizens. This requires improving and investing in those individuals by removing socio-economic barriers that limit or hinder their progress and overall well-being.

At Afrika Tikkun, we invest in young boys and girls in impoverished communities through our Cradle to Career model which adopts a socio-ecological paradigm, at every stage of the child’s life, from 3 to 35 years old. Through our Child and Youth Development (CYD) programme, we know and have seen the palpable impact that such interventions have on individuals together with their families. Our 360 Degree Social Support Services programme further strengthens our efforts carried out in the CYD programme. We know the value of giving a person the opportunity to grow, to develop their own skills, and contribute to their families and respective communities.

One such individual is Kgabo Matli, a 16-year-old pupil at KwaBhekilanga Secondary School in Alexandra. Kgabo is part of our CYD programme where he has learnt computer skills, study skills, and how to put together a CV. Kgabo and his younger sister were orphaned at a young age, and as a result were brought from Limpopo to Johannesburg to be raised by their unemployed grandmother. Despite a rough and challenging upbringing, Kgabo remains hopeful, positive and resilient, and is determined to achieve his dream of becoming an automotive design engineer. He is currently studying engineering, graphics and design and he already has two car designs.

Kgabo attests to Afrika Tikkun being instrumental in teaching him invaluable life skills and empowering him for the future. His confidence and dignity have been restored and, today, he dares to aspire and reach for his dreams.

Follow Kgabo’s story, which is part of our CYD #UntoldStories campaign, that aims to highlight the reality and obstacles that underprivileged youth and their families face on a daily basis. Our centres of excellence serve as beacons of hope and home to youth like Kgabo, assisting them with their studies, providing meals and personal development.

Source: bizcommunity

A second round of devastating floods in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) only weeks after mudslides and gushing waters disrupted the lives of thousands of people — is a siren for government and society to protect and climate proof city and rural infrastructure. This is particularly urgent in the townships where informal and small businesses are the backbone of survival for thousands.

Afrika Tikkun Foundation, a youth development organisation, has twice witnessed the effects of social and weather disruptions on the township economies where small businesses have braved through the pandemic, last year’s July riots and most recently –floods. KZN witnessed the most rainfall recorded in over 60 years when the floods first hit in April, showing the immense risks for vulnerable populations where flood-proofed infrastructure is non-existent.

The NPO is currently assisting more than 500 businesses affected by the floods in KZN and according to Alef Meulenberg, CEO of Afrika Tikkun Foundation, most of SMMEs are located in poor communities in areas unfit to safeguard their lives and businesses against flooding.

“When it comes to climate change, we all know that it is happening but there is an increased amount of localised disasters in different provinces and this comes down to town planning and particularly that of low income areas where the poor are getting parts of the land that are incredibly vulnerable. This for us is among the most important need that needs to be urgently addressed,” said Meulenberg.

While support interventions for the township economy are effective in a crisis, the long-term risks of climate change on society’s vulnerable must become a national, multi stakeholder priority in order to achieve climate justice and sustainable development in South Africa.

The provincial government said the floods affected more than 85 000 people, with more than 400 fatalities, 50 injuries and 88 people still missing on 19 May 2022.

Scientific assessments including that of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings in both the most recent Sixth Assessment, and historical reports have shown that Africa will increasingly experience the harshest of climate change impacts from warming that is already locked in the system. This means we have limited time to safeguard society, and in particular, the township economy to support vulnerable communities’ continued engagement in self-employment, job creation and economic growth.

An estimated 17% of South Africa’s total employment is through the informal economy or so-called township economy according to Investec who singled this sector out as a vital part of South Africa’s economic revival in a recent report. In addition, data by Statistics South Africa shows that informal businesses are responsible for employment and income of approximately 2.5 million workers.

Afrika Tikkun Foundation’s small business intervention started after the riots in KZN last year and has now extended to flood relief. After the July 2021 riots the organisation launched a revitalisation programme for township economies aimed at rebuilding and assisting small businesses directly affected by the rampant destruction which affected hundreds of small and informal businesses, costing the already fragile economy billions. The initiative targeted 2500 small businesses on the brink of collapse, through a holistic rescue program which provides assistance in the form of financial resources, infrastructure as well as skills development. Through initiatives such as #RevivingTownshipEconomies, there is hope yet that township-based businesses will bounce back stronger than ever –but the climate related risks to their survival remain.

“Dealing with poor infrastructure and rehabilitating poorly planned settlements is a critical part of what all institutions and stakeholders should consider when dealing with climate change adaptation and resilience building. This will automatically improve access to clean water, access to education, healthcare and other services,” said Meulenberg.

In addition, mobilising finance from both the public and private sector will be essential to boosting investments for protective infrastructure in which the costs of protection need to be weighed against the consequences of damage or disruption.

The Township Economy can benefit from climate resilient – geared development and planning to ensure that South Africa addresses climate change in an inclusive and just manner.

Source: ecobalancelifestyle

A partnership between youth development foundation, Afrika Tikkun and the Datatec Educational and Technology Foundation, has overcome insurmountable odds resulting in great success in rural education.

This partnership which is dedicated to transformative development and reducing youth unemployment in South Africa by tackling socio-economic barriers which makes it difficult for young people to access the economy, has benefited between 8 000 and 10 000 participants a year.

The decade long relationship includes a contribution of over R3.7 million from Datatec which has helped to upgrade technological capabilities and support infrastructures at the Afrika Tikkun Centres of Excellence, which are vibrant spaces where information relating to education, skills, careers and life is shared.

“Funding from the Datatec Foundation has been crucial to digitising Afrika Tikkun’s various programmes and enabled our beneficiaries to become computer literate and access emails and the internet,” says Afrika Tikkun CEO Alef Meulenberg.

“This small but significant step allows beneficiaries to move away from a mindset that their communities only comprised unemployed and unskilled people, as they were now imbued with the skills to become self-sustaining,” added Meulenberg.Despite the crippling effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, Afrika Tikkun’s partnership enabled it to reach 16% more young people in 2020 than it did in 2019.

In line with the organisation’s 2020/21 plan to offer programmes through a blended learning approach, a learner management system was purchased through the ‘My Learning Hub’ platform to upload educational content and is being adapted to incorporate a more South African curriculum. Afrika Tikkun was also able to digitise content for its core programmes including Early Childhood Development (ECD), Child and Youth Development (CYD) and the Youth Accelerator Programme (YAP). Acquisition of learning devices, in particular tablets, is ongoing.

Participants in these programmes are offered a selection of basic computer literacy programmes which ranges from the fundamentals at grade R and primary school level, to the basics of Microsoft Office Suite and research of career, bursary and tertiary opportunities at high school level. Chairperson of the Datatec Educational and Technology Foundation, Maya Makanjee said the investment in Afrika Tikkun has been rewarding at so many levels.

“To see young people not only rise above their circumstances but excel professionally is exactly what we set out to achieve at the Foundation. By continuing along this path we can overcome our high unemployment rate so that our beautiful country can meet its true potential,” Makanjee says.

Success stories:

Teboho Shibambo moved on to admin and data capturing, and today consults for a car sales portal, Afrika Tikkun, PictureNet Africa and Solve IT while also supporting a number of private companies in and around Johannesburg.

Nkosinathi Lusiba arrived as a curious young man and through the programme learnt how to build LAN, communicate with various ISPs and suppliers and set up servers. Today he is self-employed and consults for the City of Cape Town and various schools.

Another success story is found in Mozambican siblings Jessa and Roberto Miambo.

They learnt how to run cables, crimp and punch cables, build LANs and gained a greater understanding of hardware and software solutions. Jessa is now in Maputo building workshops to help young entrepreneurs in business, while Roberto is head of IT at Niassa local government municipality.

Source: saiee