The King William's Town Child and Youth Care Centre bustled in anticipation recently as 146 young people from across the Eastern Cape arrived for The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment regional Bronze and Silver Award Ceremony.
The King William's Town Child and Youth Care Centre bustled in anticipation recently as 146 young people from across the Eastern Cape arrived for The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment regional Bronze and Silver Award Ceremony.
There was a large contingent of young people from Mthatha and Port Elizabeth and smaller groups from Port Alfred, Grahamstown, Keiskammahoek, Queenstown and King William's Town.
This annual event recognizes young people in the Eastern Cape for their commitment to achieving the Bronze and Silver Levels of this international youth development programme which is available to more than 10 000 young people in South Africa.
Representing the MEC for Social Development, the guest of honour was Dalindyebo Maxegwana, the General Manager for Social Welfare Services in the Eastern Cape.
“Young people face many challenging issues today, including substance abuse, HIV/Aids, crime and the disintegration of the family unit," Maxegwana said. "We value innovations like The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment Programme which are holistic in approach, allow young people to express themselves, and which help develop moral values among young people”.
The Award Ceremony saw young people share the skills that they had learnt doing the Award Programme. These included a demonstration of karate skills by a group of four Award participants from the King William's Town Children and Youth Care Centre. Another group, from Gali Thembani Youth Care Centre in Queenstown, shared their gumboot-dancing skills.
Ashley Backwards, from the Nemato Rowing Club in Port Alfred who also received his Bronze Award said: “My happiness has made me want to continue with the next level of the Award Programme. This programme is a positive input for young people… because it opens doors for us”.
The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment Programme is supported by a diverse group of funders, including the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development, which was well represented at the event by senior officials.
The organisation works in conjunction with youth workers, known as Award Leaders, in order to reach as many young people as it can. “Through the Award Programme, I have learnt to be a father to other people’s children,” said Mpumelelo Fini, Award Leader from Bosasa Sikhuselekile, in Mthatha. “I have valued the opportunity to encourage commitment, discipline and a passion for community service among Award participants.”
President Jacob Zuma took over as Patron-in-Chief of the organisation from former president Nelson Mandela, in August last year. In June this year, during his Budget Vote Speech, President Zuma called on business in South Africa to support the valuable work of the Award in South Africa. In July, while in Grahamstown, he spent 90 minutes in dialogue with Eastern Cape Award participants, dealing with the theme, “The Challenges Youth face in South Africa today”.
