Changing the narrative on youth in South Africa
Author: ACTIVATE! Change Drivers
“We are who we’ve been waiting for”. This is the inspirational message on the cover of a book released this month by NGO, ACTIVATE! Change Drivers, to showcase the stories of how the youth stepped up at the time of SA’s greatest need this century.
Under Covid lockdown, the Activate network of young people across South Africa mobilised to help their communities in a myriad of ways, creating meaningful impact in people’s lives.
Activate Change Drivers is showcasing these young community activists and the good works they did as volunteers in an eBook called, ‘The Activate! Network responds to COVID-19 – We are who we’ve been waiting for’, with all their lockdown stories of hope and charity.
Activate Communications Manager, Kim Barlow, explains: “The book is a compilation of inspiring stories of individuals in the Activate network who in spite of their own difficulties, chose to help their communities in various ways. The book documents the hope and resilience of a youth populace who want to change South Africa for the better - and who are willing to be that change.
“We are who we’ve been waiting for! The youth of the Activate network are done waiting for solutions that never materialise from Government, both local and national - they are creating solutions and opportunities for themselves. They are, in fact, the solution,” Barlow emphasises.
She continues: “The book shows us that the youth of the Activate network are a constructive force in society; they want to be part of the solution; they are willing and able to come up with unique ways to address problems without waiting on government to solve them because they’ve come to the realisation that you have to be the change you want to see in the world. This mindset is what is needed to change the trajectory of the country.”
From hard lockdown under Level 5 to Level 1, the youth in the Activate network ledtheir communities during this time of crisis due to the leadership skills, problem solving and critical thinking skills they have been exposed to in Activate learnership programmes.
Said Barlow: “They had the leadership skills and the wherewithal to quickly come up with solutions to the problems many of our communities faced under lockdown: when children could no longer attend school they started WhatsApp reading clubs and WhatsApp tutoring sessions; when old people did not understand what the implications of the virus were, they started a campaign to inform them; when people lost their jobs and could no longer afford to feed their families, they started soup kitchens, food drives and blanket drives to share what little they have with others; and when government announced the R350 grant, they assisted communities with completing the application forms.”
It is Barlow and her team’s fervent hope that South Africans will celebrate those youth who have stepped up in their communities and also inspire other young people who are tired of waiting on government or the business sector for solutions, to also become the solution - in whatever small way.
“I would like those who read the book to know that we all have the resilience within us to change the dark realities of those around us. It’s the small actions of goodwill that put a smile on someone’s face, or changes someone’s day from unhappy to happy, that really propels the positive energy we need in the world. This superpower is the most significant yet undervalued force we all have.
“The world needs to know about this group of young people who are slowly changing the narrative on youth in South Africa. These are the leaders of tomorrow who are cultivating a character of action toward uplifting communities and changing mindsets. These are the people who are going to save South Africa, and these are the role models that little boys and girls need. We hope the book will also encourage investment of either time or money to these Activator initiatives – from Government, the private sector or individuals,” adds Barlow.
The book is available free for download on the Activate website: https://www.activateleadership.co.za/publications/
You can also read it on Issuu: https://issuu.com/activatechangedrivers/docs/the_activate_network_responds_to_covid-19__2
