Priya
Ranchod
More
than two-years has passed since the passing of anti-apartheid veteran and
struggle stalwart Ahmed ‘Kathy’ Kathrada. His
legacy still continues at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) under the
leadership of Neeshan Balton and a board which consists of prestige members.
On
9th November 2019, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation held an inauguration ceremony
for its youth clubs at the Park Primary School Hall in the presence of board
Chairperson, Former minister of Tourism, Derek Hanekom.Youth
Club member badges and certificates were handed out to the youth before the
reading aloud of a pledge to promote activism, become change ambassadors and leaders
within their communities. Henekom
speaking to the youth said: “The young people of today must lead exemplary
lives, and, most importantly, must be
the force for change.”
He
said that there were many people who looked to the youth as mentors, hence they
must be good role models. He uged them to be more organised and to focus on
life. The
clubs were part of a pilot programme which will see 100 youth clubs, around
South Africa, formed by 2029 as part of
Ahmed Kathrada’s cenetenary project and as a tribute to the stalwart. The
organisation currently has nine youth clubs in the south of Johannesburg,
namely, Lenasia, Lenasia South, Orange Farm, Eldorado Park, Lehae, Kliptown,
Protea Glen, FInetown and Lawley/Ennerdale.
The
foundation will also embark on it’s Annual Ahmed Kathrada Foundation Youth Leadership
Camp on November 29 at one of South Africa’s most historic sites, Robben
Island. The
foundation also announced its top three winners in it’s Youth Essay Writing
Competition Against Racism. They were Jaydon Farao, 24, of Eerste River, Cape
Town; Charissa Cassels, 23, of King William’s Town; and Mbalenhle Shandu, 17,
of Felixton, KwaZulu-Natal.
While
youth work is one of the programmes ran by the foundation, the organisation’s
objective is to deepen non-racialism in post-apartheid South Africa. The
Foundation works towards this objective by executing programmes, projects and
campaigns.
