How partnerships and funding can empower South Africa's youth

Nearly half of South Africa’s youth are unemployed, according to the latest data from Statistics SA, while growing numbers say they feel unsafe in their communities.

As Youth Day is marked today, Monday, June 16, these figures highlight the ongoing challenges young people face, including bullying, peer pressure, and limited access to education and training.

The Strand Community Police Forum (CPF) said the safety of youth in communities riddled by substance abuse, unemployment, and gang violence must be prioritised.

Newly elected chairperson of the Strand CPF, Niklaas Thysen said the CPF has several suggestions in which the safety and well-being of the youth can be improved.

The CPF compiled a list of things which can be implemented towards achieving these goals. “Parents’ involvement can be instrumental in this effort. They can monitor their children’s activities, establish health communication, and provide guidance and support," said Mr Thysen.

He said, in addition to parental support, churches can also play an important role as a safe space for youth to be nurtured in and in this way contribute to the growth and development of young people.

“Churches can provide moral and spiritual guidance, and offer programmes that promote positive values and behaviour,” he said, adding that mentoring programmes, skills development programmes, school-based interventions, and assistance with trauma counselling and therapy can be life-changing.

He said facilitating support groups and presenting mental health awareness programmes can also be beneficial.

The value of non-government organisations in the development of healthy young people should not be overlooked, and with partnerships formed between NGO’s, community mentors and NPO’s these partnerships can prove to be very effective, he said.

Youth For Life is a non-profit organisation based in Strand and operational in the Helderberg basin, and focuses on youth development.

Working with young people and their welfare, the organisation has firsthand knowledge of the struggles young people experience.

Madri Schuch, CEO of Youth For Life, said: “One of the most pressing issues affecting our youth today is the alarming number of school dropouts and the growing presence of young people on the streets. This is often coupled with exposure to drugs, gang violence, and unsafe living environments- realities that trap many in cycles of hopelessness.”

According to Statistics SA, there has been a sharp decline in education and training among young people. The number of youth not in employment, education or training has increased by 5%, leaving more than 43% of young people in this category.

Youth for Life runs various programmes tackling unemployment and a lack of skills, and training. These include support groups, leadership, agriculture classes, ECD training and other youth development programmes.

Ms Schuch said: “In response, our work is focused on guiding and educating youth in decision-making, life skills, and future opportunities. Through consistent mentorship and community-rooted support, we’ve seen that even the most vulnerable can rise above their circumstances when they are seen, heard and equipped with hope.”

A lack of consistent funding is a huge challenge to the organisation and the ability to expand its impact, Ms Schuch said.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to receive support from key government stakeholders such as local clinics, the police, and our ward councillor, who have all contributed meaningfully to our work. These partnerships show that collaboration between government and community-based NPOs can bring real change.”

Another non-profit organisation working in the Winelands is the Angels of Hope.

Chairperson Karel Dampies said they’ve found that sport presents a wonderful outlet for children, but due to a lack of financial resources for transporting children and equipping them with essentials to participate in sport, not enough children get the opportunity to do so.

Mr Dampies emphasised the fact that exposing children to a world outside of their circumstances or communities not only educates them on new activities or issues but also makes them believe in possibilities beyond just their limitations.

“This is why we, as Angels of Hope, host a lot of different outings for our children and young people, taking them on educational tours, nature visits, clean-ups, hiking adventures, cultural outings like poetry workshops, library workshops, and visits to museums. Monday's plan is to take our children to the Paarl Museum. I want our children to learn more, see new things, while at the same time allowing them to unlock new talents or gifts.”

The organisation focuses a great deal on reaching out to the needy with donation drives of bread and soup for street people, job seekers, or in cases of flooding or fires. 

They believe that education is the tool to get children out of poverty and break the cycle of unemployment. Thus, the organisation hosts stationery drives at the start of each new year to help provide for children whose parents can’t afford to buy stationery and other school essentials. This is all made possible by donations from supporters and donors.

Without the support of donors, Mr Dampies said, their work will not be able to continue and reach as many vulnerable children in Wellington as it currently does. He appealed to the government to come on board and form better partnerships with non-profit organisations.

Taurai "Chaka" Chakauya, founder and coach of the Chaka Pioneers, a soccer club for vulnerable children residing in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, Strand, Macassar and other nearby areas, started the club to keep children away from negative influences like gangsterism and drugs, two things that are common in the impoverished communities from which they hail.

Through Chaka’s club and the platform, he gives them to show their skills; there have even been players chosen to play for national soccer teams, he said. Playing soccer can reap positive results in the children's lives.

“These kids have a lot of talent, as you can see in all the matches we win, but the problem is we don’t have the money. This year even we are still struggling in terms of kits for playing, the shorts are not enough, the kids are playing with takkies because they don't have soccer boots. We need organisations to help us; basically, we need any support that people can help us with.

“Transport is very difficult for us, because now I'm hiking along the N2 with the boys to matches and it's not safe, even now with our girls teams, I have to hike with more than 25 boys and girls at the hiking spot at the Monkey Town robots,” he outlined some of the challenges with transport they experience," he said.

Without the support of local businesses, the club would not survive.

"What young people need, he said, are people who will support them not just once-off, but who will be committed to supporting them regularly. Mr Taurai Chakauya appeals for funding in the media and on social media all the time, he says, but the public is not so keen to come on board. “If we can get the support all the time, it will make a big difference to our kids.”

To support the organisations contact:

Youth For Life contact Madri Schuch on 081 420 8437.

Angels of Hope contact Karel Dampies on 082 471 3895.

Chaka Pioneers can contact Taurai Chakauya on 079 809 2411.

Additional sources: Statistics South Africa- www.statssa.gov.za