"I am very proud that there is just one NGO in the whole of South Africa with headquarters in Grahamstown and branches in big cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban," said Martin Scholtz, CEO of the President's Award for Youth Empowerment.
"I am very proud that there is just one NGO in the whole of South Africa with headquarters in Grahamstown and branches in big cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban," said Martin Scholtz, CEO of the President's Award for Youth Empowerment.
A range of their collaborators, from youth programme organisers to school teachers, were there to celebrate the non-profit organisation's first year in its new premises at 51 New Street, as well as its 28 years of existence (1983-2011), on Friday morning.
Focusing on the 14-25 age group, the organisation, which relies on international donors, uses skills development, physical recreation and community service to give them leadership skills, enabling them to become responsible, active citizens within their communities.
"Our mission in our communities all over the country is to challenge young people everywhere, with no regard to the colour of their skin, their social status or anything," Scholtz said.
Xolile Gule, the organisation's Programme Manager, said their work was designed to help the youth find out who, or what, they want to become. Gule said, "We encourage our trainees to discover their self-worth through discipline and focus. Our aim is not to do it for them, but rather for them to do it by themselves, for themselves, with us as guides."
The organisation's new offices are adorned with pictures of the many places the trainees have been, as well as pictures of former patrons such as former presidents Nelson Mandela (founding patron) and Thabo Mbeki, and Speaker of the National Assembly during the first 10 years of democracy, Frene Ginwala.
The current patron is President Jacob Zuma. The Makana-based Oluxolweni Youth Centre, which targets marginalised and abandoned children, particularly Grahamstown's street children, has been working with the President's Award since 2002, when its current manager, David Claassen took over.
"We have had a fantastic working relationship with the President's Award since I became manager of the centre and it has been a very fruitful relationship for both of the organizations," Claassen said.
The shelter gives the children the chance to return to their communities, taking them to school, encouraging them to play sport and taking care of their day-to-day existence. The President's Award helps with certification for Oluxolweni's various programmes, and mentoring.
