Guest post: King and Simba, enke 2010 facilitators

Being foreigners in South Africa, the mid-year holiday brings its share of opportunities and propositions, along the tunes ranging from the fond “come home and visit, we’ve missed you son” all the way to more varsity oriented “let’s drive down to the Spanish team’s hotel in Cape Town !!”

Those of us lucky enough to have had the privilege of being acquainted with this very rare animal known as enke (or not wise enough to know not to answer Pip & Kat’s calls by now), had an extra option. To spend time planning and participating in some sort conference/forum-ish- thingy, for – yes its true- absolutely no pay.

Now…having been a part of enke 2009- and living to tell the story- what on earth would possess two young university students to take over a week out of their holidays (during the World Cup for heaven’s sake!!) and plunge themselves into a seemingly endless amount of time in an enclosed space with over a hundred teenagers, in the depth of winter, for a caffeine fueled week of intense pressure and minimum sleep??!!
Unlike the question, the answer is less easily articulated…it’s more of a feeling…a knowing…
The feeling you get when you witness all the stereotypes about South Africans and the youth broken down in one fell swoop.
The feeling when you get to see people at such a young age looking to better themselves, their communities and this world.
The feeling in the air and the gleam in their eyes as the delegates begin to realize and embrace their infinite potential.
The realization that you are continuously being inspired and growing as a person through these young individuals.
Knowing that you are taking up the responsibility that comes with the scarce privilege of a university education.
That gentle nudge, that non-verbal challenge deep down asking what YOU are doing to make a change???
Knowing that there is absolutely nothing else you should have been doing that week.

So, to all the skeptics…we’ve spent a week with the future of South Africa- and if it’s any indication – we’d like to say that the future looks just fine.

Kingsley Kipury & Simbarashe Sibanda
Monash South Africa
Facilitators at enke 2010