The Waumbe Youth Development Centre has identified 40 potential leaders in Fisantekraal and plans to provide long-term training for them.
The first training session was on Saturday October 1 at the Fisantekraal community hall, led by Waumbe co-founder and vice president, Delphino Machikicho.
Guest speakers included GiveWise director Lucinda Valentine, leadership consultant and mentor Gape Mogotsi and motivational coach and pastor Thando Melane.
Mr Machikicho said the biggest problem in the area was the lack of positive role models.
“We believe from this group we will have trailblazers that will hold the torch and spread the Waumbe values. We alone will not be able to transform the community, but with these foot soldiers we will be able to reach more lives,” he said.
“We selected youth who displayed leadership traits during Waumbe development sessions in the community.
“We also selected some of the leaders who are already involved incommunitydevelopment, especially young leaders in other community organisations. Some of the youth were selected based on their excellent performance in either academics, sport or culture activities.” Mr Machikicho said the future leaders pledged to change their community for the better.
On Saturday October 8, they will take part in one-on-one mentoring and story sharing with graduates at the University of the Western Cape, in partnership with the alumni of the UWC Leadership and Social Responsibility department.
“This is in line with our vision of continuously exposing the Fisantekraal youth leaders to some of the great minds in the province. This will open their eyes to see some opportunities that lie ahead of them,” said Mr Machikicho.
Waumbe, a youth development organisation, was established in 2014 in Fisantekraal.