Empowering Winterveldt, South African Youth

1. Recruitment and Registration of the youth.

Since December 2020 and while in the midst of the restrictions presented by COVID-19, the Bokamoso Life Centre (BLC/Centre) enhanced its recruitment for this year's session of its upcoming Youth Development Programme (YDP).  Recruitment was expanded from being conducted solely by word of mouth, to also include a broader-based community outreach and youth mobilization efforts in Winterveldt.  A total of 66 YDP beneficiaries have now been enrolled for 2021; 16 more than the Centre can normally accommodate, and who are drawn primarily from Winterveldt and neighboring communities.  Families and youth are becoming increasingly familiar with the Centre, as demonstrated by a substantial increase in inquiries about the Centre's programs.  The Centre has also begun to refer families and youth, who it cannot accommodate currently due to a lack of sufficient resources, to other programs where they can receive the help and services that they need. The majority of the Centre's youth participants come from vulnerable communities, where economic conditions are dire. Some program participants must walk for more than 5km to the Centre on a daily basis.

As described on the Centre's website (www.bokamosoyouth.org) and in the program summary, the YDP is one of the Centre’s flagship programs. Through facilitated discussions, led by trained staff, youth share their personal experiences and receive professional guidance navigating a myriad of subjects to help put them on a good path to become fully engaged in their own futures, including:

* Communication.

* Human Development.

* Job Readiness.

* Resumes and Interviews 

* Careers and Career choices

* Spirituality.

* Human Trafficking. 

* Substance abuse and GBV.

* Teenage pregnancy and STIs.

* Unemployment. 

* Environmental History.

 2. Computer Skills Training/ ICT 

The Centre is now offering End-User Computer Training, not only to the current YDP participants, but also to community members. The Centre's computer skills training is an accredited program, and the certificates offered upon completion to program graduates are recognized by employers, both in the public and private sectors. 

The Centre often trains youth, who have never used or had access to a computer before. The current waiting list for the Centre's computer skills training this year currently stands at 186, and extends beyond October 2021, so far. Due to limited resources, equipment and training facilitators, the Centre is only able to train 16 beneficiaries every six weeks, with one group meeting in the mornings and one in the afternoons. The current demand is so high that the Centre’s limited number of training facilitators are working over-time to achieve the program's intended objectives. There is high demand for computer training and ICT, as the world  moves rapidly into the digital space.  It is essential that youth coming from vulnerable communities are not left behind.

 3. Scholarship 

 The Life Centre’s scholarship program continues and currently there are 19 youth beneficiaries receiving Bokamoso-funded scholarships.  As in preceding years, the Centre anticipates the demand from qualifying applicants to increase for the second semester of 2021. These students are currently attending various institutions of higher education as well as vocational training programs. Their careers include, but are not limited to, law, security, arts and fashion design, engineering, marketing, public management, and social work.  Scholarships awarded by the Centre are full, not partial, and assist students with tuition fees, books and transportation costs.

Further, under the scholarship program, there are an additional 19 Bokamoso youth, who are studying at colleges and universities, either (a) because they started with a Bokamoso scholarship and then subsequently received a government-funded National Student Financial Aid System (NSFAS) grant (bursary/scholarship) or (b) because the Centre helped them gain access to, apply for and receive a NSFAS bursary (scholarship), which is another new service provided by the Centre.  To have so many additional youth from Winterveldt attend college this year funded by NSFAS scholarships, is also a tremendous accomplishment.

4. COVID-19

The pandemic has stretched the Centre’s resources to the limit, given the need to employ extraordinary measures to control the virus.  The Centre acquired extra PPE for our beneficiaries and implemented several non-pharmaceutical measures, such as handwashing, sanitizing, wearing of masks and social distancing.  These efforts have paid off, with the Centre now open for business, in accordance with South African public health laws and restrictions. 

5.  Building of new ablution facilities

After using pit latrines throughout the Centre’s history, this year, the Centre built and installed new flush toilets.   This is not an insignificant improvement and has been very welcomed by the Centre's staff and beneficiaries.

More information about the Centre's many other programs and services can be found on the Centre's website at www.bokamosoyouth.org.

Links:

• Bokamoso Life Centre Website