enke: Make Your Mark

By Connie Mussmir

With the advent of Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and blogging, we have entered the dawn of a new era in how we socialise. Many of us now use social media as our primary method of communication. Millions of users go on to social networks several times a day and spend hours upon hours sending and receiving messages, making appointments, viewing and sharing content, getting updates on their friends’ activities, catching up on current affairs, stalking the cute waiter from the cafe downstairs, keeping track of their favourite celebrities and learning about people and things they’ve recently met or heard about.

These are all positive advances as far as communication and networking go – helping us easily and efficiently keep in touch our friends and loved ones, and interact with the world around us, from the comfort of our homes and offices. Unfortunately, a growing number of researchers are finding a link between use of social media websites “Facebook” and “My Space” and anti-social narcissistic behavior.

“Narcissism – egoism, vanity, conceit” – Wikipedia

It’s not just attention-seeking or wanting to be liked but a “pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration,” an exaggerated sense of self-importance where one believes they are special and require excessive admiration from others.

We all have a desire to feel important, loved and relevant. Social media is a double-edged sword that meets this inherent need, and can yet also promote self-absorption. Facebook, Twitter and MySpace ask us “What’s going on? What’s on your mind?” And with a click of the send button our updates and photos are shared. With a new new class of social apps and some more scrolls and clicks, you share the movies you quote, the concert your attending, the songs you have on repeat, the activities you love…

Tell your life story through photos, friendships and personal milestones

The world is your audience, and your profile is centre stage.

Needless to say this can easily lead to an unhealthy, overriding and exaggerated view of one’s own importance. This can turn into a personality disorder robbing affecting one’s psychological and emotional well being. Narcissists generally have trouble forming healthy, long-term relationships – they can’t get over themselves for long enough genuinely care about another human being. They eventually lose their capacity to empathise or feel for others.

I myself used to enjoy providing a running commentary of my life on my Facebook profile. That was before I learnt of the negative effects social networking can have and realised that self-centred people who ‘overshare’ get boring and a little repulsive.

I have decided to be more deliberate about how I use social media. I now use it to find out what people think on certain topics, keep up with current affairs, keep in touch with long lost friends and participate in healthy debate. I follow people who inspire me, make me laugh, or are informative, rather than attention seekers desperately trying to be famous for being famous.

It’s not easy cutting off in an age where not being active on Facebook is seen as being antisocial. But on the other hand -maybe its not absolutely necessary that I put up all those pictures from my kindergarten sports day? Plus lets be honest, I think the world will survive the suspense of wondering what exactly I had for lunch.

Posted in enke team | Tagged facebook, identity, monday morning musing, twitter, youth | Leave a comment

February 17, 2012

Friday Weekend Kick-Off: Welcoming back a familiar face

We at enke recently had the please of informing facilitator at the enke: make your mark forum 2011, Cedric Yumba that he had been selected to once again be a part of the forum in 2012.

We caught up with him to hear his thoughts!

I am just glad to be in again!

During the past week, a friend informed me he would be travelling down to Durban. I referred him to multiple energetic, young people I know down by the Coast. He was surprised to know that I’ve actually never been to Durban – such is the power of the enke network!

Being a facilitator at enke 2011 Forum was so awesome for me. enke has connected me to so many incredible young people across South Africa. My last year experience at enke brought direction and fuel (information and aspiration?) to my life’s journey. I loved the diversity and how all the delegates with all their unique differences across the socioeconomic and racial spectrum had something to bring to the table – fitting together just perfectly to make one united whole.

I am so excited to have been selected once again as a facilitator at the forum out of 100+ candidates who were interviewed. I am looking forward to even more wonderful and unforgettable moments with enke this year.

I can hardly wait to meet some new young people, expanding my network even further, all while giving back to the South African community, getting inspired and inspiring others.

Dangerously enkefied!

Posted in Guest post, enke team | Tagged connect, education, entrepreneur, future, Johannesburg, Jozi, leadership, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

February 16, 2012

Show me the money: Fundraising tips & ideas

By Margaret & Lebo

Hey enklings!!!! We know many of you will be doing some fundraising as part of your CAPs. Fundraising can be a challenge even for the experts. Luckily – you have us here at enke with some tips and ideas to help you plant, water and grow those money trees into giant beanstalks of CAP success!

Top tips:

Keep track of your money. Know your budget, how much money you want to raise and stick to it.
Organise a team to help you work on your fundraising idea, plan, plan, plan and know your project well. Remember failing to plan is planning to fail!
If in doubt ask. If you need help with anything don’t hesitate to ask somebody willing to help it could be a teacher, a mentor or even a family member.
Tell as many people about your CAP as possible, you never know who knows who.
Be realistic. Remember your CAP deadline is on the 18^th of April. Make good use of your time and set realistic goals.

SOME IDEAS…

Talent Show:

Talent shows are a fun and entertaining way of getting fundraised. It has other benefits such as getting your school and your community involved in your CAP as well as promoting it.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are thinking of having a talent show fundraiser.

Have a team of people that can help you with planning.
Make sure you advertise for auditions. Decide on the number and type of acts you want before auditions.
Hold a number of practices and one dress rehearsal. At the last rehearsal before the show hand it over to the stage manager. The stage manager supervises the show making sure everything runs smoothly.
Advertise the show in advance. Spread the word by mouth (it’s free so tell everybody!), posters, ask your local radio show for some airtime to advertise the show.

Donation Requests:

How to write a request for sponsorship letter:

Find the right contact person. Address your letter to the key person in the position to approve your request. “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Shoprite” will probably not attract the attention you need. Staff names may not appear on company websites. You can call to a receptionist, asking whom to contact for donations.
Structure the letter properly. Describe in full the current CAP for which the donation is needed and who will benefit. Include all contact information, including telephone and email, and end by inviting the person to contact you if any further information is needed. Ask one of your teachers or parent/guardian to help with proofreading and suggestions.
Request in-kind donations. Many potential donors don’t have cash to give, but will provide in-kind donations, such as materials, printing, stationery. In-kind donations can give donors more of a sense of participation, and some are reluctant to simply give money.
Follow up with a phone call to the contact person within a few days of sending the letter. Ask if the message was received and whether they want to get involved. If the answer is no, be gracious and thank them for their time (this may be a valuable contact in the future). If there is interest, communicate how much money/in-kind support you are seeking. Even if a donor can help with only a small portion of your need, accept and thank them for their support. Invite donors to attend the project to see the final outcome.
Keep careful records of donations and send thank-you letters. Donors often are willing to contribute again if they are shown how their contribution was put to use. Follow-up letters can assist in this effort. Ask if there is anything you can do to help them as a return for the favour.

Here is a link to an example of a sponsorship letter:

OTHER FUNDRAISING IDEAS…

Go Casual: Ask your principal if you can have a charity casual day and ask everyone to pay R10 to wear his or her own clothes.

Car Wash: Get together with your friends to clean the cars in your neighbourhood for a fee. Or clean the cars in the school car park during lunch hour.

Get Shopping: Do you know an elderly neighbour who you could do odd jobs for? You could offer to do their shopping or other errands for a small donation.

Come Dancing: Ask your teacher if they can help you organise a school social and have a cover charge.

Get Fashionable: Ask your parents/friends to donate their old clothes and hold a ‘recycled’ fashion show for your school or neighbourhood.

Sell at school/home: With the permission of your school, you can sell things like sweets (lollipops such as pin pops and big are popular) and baked goodies (scones, muffins and cakes).

Family/Friends: A well-known saying says “fundraising is not raising funds, its raising friends”. As friends and family to volunteer their time if you need people to help you. If they can’t help you ask them if they can’t refer you to someone.

Collect 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c coins: Many people do not really use the brown coins. Collect these coins from people from school in 2 litre bottles. Once you have filled up several bottles, you can exchange these coins for notes at the bank.

My School card: Apply for a MySchool, MyVillage or MyPlanet card for free and nominate your school or a charity as the beneficiary. When they purchase items from participating retailers they swipe the card with the purchase. A small percentage of their transaction is then allocated to their beneficiary school or charity. If your school is not on the list of beneficiaries, you can request an application form to fill out. Your principal can fill it out.

Here for more information about getting on becoming a beneficiary school or getting a MySchool card.

Hope this helps! Good luck with your CAPs! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me via email at margaret@enke.co.za or calling us at the enke office on 011 027 0678 or 011 027 0678

If you want further information on fundraising here are some links that could be helpful:

For more fundraising ideas go to: http://www.fundraising-ideas.org/DIY/

For pros and cons of fundraising: http://ideas4fundraising.blogspot.com/2008/02/before-you-start-that-raise-consider.html

Posted in enke team | Tagged business, change, entrepreneur, leadership, youth | Leave a comment

February 15, 2012

Wednesday’s with Sizwe: The burden of student loans

By Sizwe T Nxumalo

Banks - The house always wins

There have been many reports on the burden of student loan debt in the US – which is estimated at between $550 billion and $829 billion – and is cause for concern considering that the unemployment rate for 20-24 year olds is about 15%*. This is 6% higher than the unemployment rate of the general population. Meaning more graduates are struggling to repay their study loan debt. More troubling, is the fact that student loan debt, unlike mortgage and car loans, cannot be simply discharged through filing for bankruptcy, unless there is undue hardship. This has led to some Occupy Wall Street protestors advocating for student loan debt forgiveness. Stating that if the government can bail out the banks, why can’t it do the same for the people.

Below is an illustration of the cost burden that many South African graduates carry due to their being unaware of or unable to access alternative tertiary education funding.

Meet Sipho Khumalo. Sipho is an 18 year old 1st year student at the University of Witwatersrand. He is the first member of his family to attend university. He is studying towards a BCom degree with Honours. Sipho is from Umlazi, Durban, where he lives with his parents and two siblings. His parents cannot afford his university fees, so Sipho has gotten a study loan. This loan will cover his tuition and accommodation expenses while his parents will finance his books and other living expenses. Sipho is required to only pay the interest accrued on his loan while he is studying. The principal payments will only be paid after Sipho has completed his studies.

The following is the evolution of Sipho’s Net Asset Value (NAV) assuming a constant academic cost inflation rate of 5% per annum and an interest rate of 9%** per annum.

Year 1: R33 296 (tuition) + R46 000 (accommodation) = R79 296

Year 2: R83 260.80

Year 3: R87 423.84

Year 4: R91 795.03

Total debt at the end of Year 4 = R341 775.67

Sipho finally graduates and is lucky enough to find a job immediately. He starts his first job at a gross salary of R200 000 per annum. Meaning his net annual income is around R160 000. Sipho insists on staying in Johannesburg, so he will need to find a place to stay and mostly likely purchase a car – which comes with a hefty insurance premium given his age and gender. After accounting for living expenses, the purchase of a car and the R32 060.92 of accrued interest from his study loan in his first year of work, it is likely that Sipho’s debt will increase. We know nothing about Sipho’s family, but if he is like most first generation university graduates, he will probably be expected to assist his family in Umlazi financially now that he has completed his studies and has a paying job.

Given all the above, it is difficult to say how long it will take Sipho to get out of debt, let alone afford to purchase a house. Forget starting a family or getting married.

*South Africa’s unemployment rate for 15-24 year olds is 51%.

**Current SA prime interest rate.

Posted in enke team | Tagged education, future, inequality, opportunity, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

February 14, 2012

Tuesday’s Team Update: ‘New’ Member

Behold – it is I; Kingsley Melita Kipury.

Stop looking at me like that! I didn’t say I was the face of enke just yet, I’m just the guy you go to when you need a new chair.

At this point – I should probably backtrack a bit.

I remember my virgin enke experience vividly and fondly – I volunteered as a facilitator at what was then the ENKE ‘Global Youth Forum.’ Under the impression that it was a whirlwind one time adventure – I many a time attempted to mentally capture and put it into words; emailing friends and family telling them of my experiences – I even reflected upon it here hoping that as I re-told my experiences I could fully grasp what exactly it was I had just been a part of before continuing on my way.

Little did I know one doesn’t just walk away from such an experience. I don’t know what it was, but something had changed. enke had somehow ‘made its mark’ on me.

What does this actually mean? How had this happened?

To further explore and try and understand my experience I went as far as writing a semi-research/reflective paper on it as part of my Management degree, and academia told me that it this feeling was a form of one achieving Spiritual Wellness in the workplace as a result of aligned personal and organisational values.

Me no know.

What I do know is that I kept coming back for more.

I have been involved in all three of the enke forum’s in various capacities; as Facilitator to matric aged delegates, Team Leader to university aged facilitators, briefly in fund raising, as Digital Media Manager pioneering this blog and my personal favourite – as bodyguard/sidekick sitting in on and contributing absolutely nothing to our Executive Director Pip’s high profile meetings.

After some time back in my home country Kenya I recently returned to S. Africa – donned my gown, cap and sash to receive my Bachelor of Business Science in Economics & Management and two days later formally joined the enke team as a full time staff member in the role of Finance & Admin Manager.

So – that’s me.

To get in touch feel free to email at kingsley@enke.co.za or call the enke office on 011 027 0678.

Yours Truly,

The guy you go to when you need a new chair

Posted in enke team | Tagged enke, humour, Johannesburg, Jozi, leadership, South Africa, youth | 1 Comment

February 13, 2012

Monday Morning Musing: Heroes Past and Present

Margaret Chandia gives her thoughts on the tragic news of Whitney Houston’s passing, and the inspirational triumph of the Zambian team at the African Cup of Nations.

By Margaret Chandia

This weekend was bitter-sweet for me and millions of people across the world. The bitter: My childhood hero, Whitney Houston passed away on Saturday, I still can’t believe it!

whitney-houston

All my memories of Whitney Houston as a child were great, from singing along to ‘The greatest love of all’ and ‘ I will always love you’ into my tooth brush to just watching her perform live. She always had such presence and dedication to whatever she sang as if she was born singing. She was this larger than life person that was untouchable. Although in the recent years she had fallen from grace I knew my childhood hero would make a comeback. Fast forward to Saturday, I was shocked, as I’m sure many of you were, my hero is dead!

zambian soccer team

The sweet: The Zambian national soccer team aka Chipolopolo (my new heroes) won the African Cup of Nations for the first time ever!

In their victory, I see again the dedication that I saw in Whitney when she performed, it was as if the team was born for that moment. But there was something more. Whitney was a true show-woman who showed dedication to her craft. But the Zambian soccer team showed heart, they played as if their lives depended on it as if they had the hopes and dreams of a nation resting on their shoulders.

Whitney was a larger than life talent. She represents the dreams of a little girl who constantly dreamt of bigger and better things beyond reality. But at the same time Chipolopolo brings home the reality of a dream, the hard work, the ups and down and dedication that it takes to achieving it.

Whitney may be gone and I will always miss her but she will always be my all time hero. Her talent and the triumphs of Chipolopolo are a reminder that even big dreams can be achieved.

Rest in peace Whitney.

Margaret

Posted in enke team | Tagged African Cup of Nations, Chipolopolo, dreams, inspiration, monday morning musing, South Africa, Whitney Houston, Zambia | Leave a comment

February 8, 2012

Wednesdays with Sizwe: The Bias We Bring to Interviews

By Sizwe T Nxumalo

I have spent the last two days as part of a panel conducting interviews for volunteer positions for enke, an organisation that I work for (and love). During this period I have seen more than 20 candidates. I must mention that I have only ever been on one other interviewing panel, and the number of interviewed candidates was significantly less. The experience has been revealing in many ways, but the one thing that has been particularly enriching, has been my increased awareness of my inherent predispositions. I think my new found “enlightenment” comes from our need to think of ourselves as completely impartial and impervious to the temptation of noticing differences in people, and attributing particular characteristics to people based on those observed differences.

Truth is that we are all guilty of carrying biases which affect our decision making. Biases are rooted in our use of heuristics (http://bit.ly/xzQruA) in decision making, because we seldom have the time (or will) to conduct a thorough analysis of the evidence before making a decision. Michael Shermer has a great talk (http://bit.ly/zUCQcB) about the evolutionary necessity that led to our development of heuristics (or what he terms patternicity).

Fortunately, in the area of job interviews, research has discovered a broad set (http://bit.ly/AbI8VA) of biases that interviewers are likely to have, and there are strategies (http://aol.it/x4xPW4) that candidates can employ to decrease the likelihood of being disadvantaged by the biases that their interviewers may have.

These are the biases that I’m most guilty of:

The Similar-to-Me Effect

This is the tendency to have a preference for people who are similar to you physically, culturally or in disposition. I find that I respond disproportionately positively to people who articulate themselves in a manner that demonstrates a structured and logical thought-process which has clear lines of reasoning – even if I disagree with their assessment and conclusions.

This effect can be detrimental when selecting candidates for high-impact teams because it may compromise diversity – a necessary ingredient for effective teams – and increase the likelihood of continued compliance with the status quo without the interrogation thereof.

The Contrast Effect

This is the tendency to compare candidates to each other, instead of comparing them to the requirements for the role for which they are being interviewed.

This effect can have two problematic effects:

In groups where the majority of candidates are very poor, it can lead to the selection of a candidate who is also ill-suited for the role, simply because their suitability is overestimated due the fact that they were of the group.
In groups where there is a stellar candidate, there is a risk of overlooking other perfectly suitable candidates for a post due their comparing poorly to the stellar candidate.

Here is a visual illustration of the contrast effect that depicts two circles of the same colour against different backgrounds (http://bit.ly/xskPsA)

The Recency Effect (http://bit.ly/AnE8ol)

This effect is the tendency is remember the most recently interviewed candidates more clearly than those interviewed at an earlier time.

This is obviously problematic if there are a large number of candidates being interviewed at different times by the same people, because it creates situations where the perceived quality of the candidates interviewed early in the process is eroded by the passage of time – leading to compromised appointments.

The discovery of the biases that interviewers are prone to has given me a greater appreciation for the importance the design of interview processes, and how its impact on final appointments can supersede that of the (objective) quality of the candidates. Fortunately, the interview process that I was part of was designed to mitigate some of these biases.

For instance:

Every candidate was interviewed by a panel instead of an individual, limiting the impact of the similar-to-me effect.
There were standardised activities and questions that all candidates were required to perform and answer; as well as a complimentary standard framework against which they were all assessed. This limited the contrast effect.
And lastly, the evaluation and assessment of all candidates occurred within 30 minutes after the panel had last seen them. This served to limit the recency effect.

The bottom line is that we are unlikely to eliminate our biases (because we take them for granted). And given that our ability to ensure that they don’t affect our decisions is still lacking, it is incredibly important that both employers and prospective employees account for the incidence of these biases when preparing for their next round of interviews.

Posted in enke team | Tagged bias, enke, identity, interviewing, leadership, monday morning musing, perception, psychology, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

February 7, 2012

Tuesday Around the World: The final nail in JuJu’s coffin, The Queen, and other habadashery

Greetings folks! I hope your week is going as well as enke’s!

We are currently engaged in enthusiastic and inspiring interviews with our facilitators for this year’s forum. Lot’s of great individuals with a tremendous amount to offer are coming in to be a part of connecting, equipping and inspiring South Africa’s youth.

First up, Queen Elizabeth celebrates 60 years of not really being in charge of anything, says Hayibo.

“the festivities will come as a welcome relief from her usually tedious routine of watching television, walking the corgis and lamenting the fact that the monarch is no longer allowed to behead people.”

Elsewhere in the world, The Daily Maverick tells the story of 3 students moving from Kayelitsha to take up residence at the University of Cape Town.

Finally, finally, finally, the writing is on the wall for Julius Malema as the ANC held up the 5 year suspension ruling. But he will have two more weeks at the helm .

Khulekani "Mgqumeni" Khumalo - an award-winning Zulu folk musician who apparently died in 2009. He turned up at the family home last week, saying zombies had kidnapped him.

Zombie-tale: In bizarre news, award-winning Zulu folk singer Khulekani “Mgqumeni” Khumalo who supposedly died in 2009, has re-appeared at his house saying he was simply “kidnapped by zombies”. Two wives and other family members say that it is indeed him, but police insist he’ll be charged with fraud if DNA testing proves otherwise.

Navigating Love and Autism a fantastic NY Times pieces!

Thanks your Tuesday Around The World this week. Have a good one everybody!

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, around the world, autism, cape town, Hayibo, humour, inspiration, Johannesburg, politics, queen, South Africa, UC, youth, zombies | Leave a comment

February 6, 2012

Monday Morning Musing: Poor mentorship = Wasted Resources

Connie Mussumir writes this week’s Monday Morning Musing, pondering on the wasted resources and “what could have been” of Julius Malema, and celebrating the Orlando Pirates.

Pride comes before a fall

By Connie Mussumir

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and are ready to face the week ahead. I spent my Sunday the way I generally like to spend my Sundays; lazing around the house, doing a bit of cooking and cleaning, and of course reading the Sunday papers.

julius-malemaP

One of the biggest headlines of the week was Julius Malema’s imminent political demise after he lost an appeal to have his guilty verdict on various charges ranging from of ill discipline to sowing division amongst party ranks revoked. Malema who was one of the biggest headline makers for 2011 looks set to continue making headlines in 2012.

I, like many other people have been keenly following Julius Malema’s case, but again like many other people am not entirely sure of what to make of all that has happened and how it happened so fast! At one stage, it looked like Malema was invincible and in a good position to change the political landscape of the country then all of a sudden, he was being dragged from one disciplinary hearing to another. To some, Julius is a motor mouth who the ANC should have been reined in a long time ago, while others think he really is a voice for the voiceless youth of South Africa who just needs a bit of guidance. There are no easy answers.

What I do know for sure is that there are many lessons to be learnt from the whole episode. I have learnt the importance of humility and discipline; of listening to advice and warnings; and of knowing that no matter who you are, what you do and where you come from, nothing in life is guaranteed.

I have also been reminded of the importance of leadership training and mentorship amongst the youth. A lot of time, attention and resources have been devoted to Julius Malema’s case at the expense of other pressing issues. I am tempted to think that with proper guidance and mentorship, all of this could have been avoided.

Another story that made headlines this weekend was the 75^th anniversary of Orlando Pirates Football Club. I am not a Pirates supporter, but as I watched the gala dinner on SABC Sport, I could not help but feel a sense of pride in the club. From humble beginnings in Orlando, Soweto, the club has grown to be one of the biggest football clubs not only in SA,but in Africa as a whole. Congratulations to all Pirates supporters!!!!

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, Johannesburg, leadership, Malema, mentor, Orlando Pirates, politics, resources, Weekend, youth | Leave a comment

February 2, 2012

Thursday Around the World: Tragedy, Humour and Hope

Yes it’s just another day on earth people, tragedy, humour and hope continue to emerge everywhere we look with no indication that the world, the human race, will ever be different.

1) It’s the 22nd anniversary of FW deKlerk’s famous speech, releasing Nelson Mandela and unbanning opposition activities.

It paved the way for the fall of apartheid. This morning Talk 702 spoke with deKlerk about the speech and the first time he met Mandela!

On balance the future looks bright for SA, de Klerk says. You can listen to the interview yourself here.

Elsewhere in Africa the news is not so buoyant.

2) Scores killed in Egyptian soccer violence

74 people were killed and hundreds injured when rival fans clashed on Wednesday after a soccer match.

3) Why I love South Africa

One traveler tells her story of why she loves this beautiful country.

4) Can the Eastern Province “go slower”?

“How do you declare a “go-slow” among teachers in a province that has been on a perpetual “go-slow” for decades? Did they mean “go slower”?”

Jonathan Jensen blasts the Eastern Cape teachers for their latest decision to “go-slow” to get the provincial head of education fired.

5) Airline pilots and surgeons still need to be qualified, Pretoria says

In Hayibo’s latest poke at the appointment of Zuma-buddy, Hlaudi Motsoeneng to the top position in SABC despite not having any qualifications or even a matric certificate, they have the government calming people down with the reminder that surgeons and air pilots will most definitely still need at least their matric.

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, apartheid, around the world, comedy, economy, education, Egypt, FW de Klerk, Hayibo, humour, inspiration, Johannesburg, Jozi, soccer, Talk 702 | Leave a comment

February 2, 2012

Welcoming a new face: Connie Mussumir

Happy Thursday folks! Today we welcome another new face to the enke team!

Connie Mussumir joins enke as the latest spoke in the rapidly growing enke wheel!

Connie brings a wealth of experience in Monitoring and Evaluation and we are lucky to have her. She introduces herself below:

botanical gardens

Hallo everyone!

I hope 2012 is going well for you and that you are still on track with
your new year’s resolutions!

My name is Connie Mussumir and I am happy to introduce myself as the
newest addition to the enke team. I am a strong believer in the power
of communication and networking so joining enke feels like coming
home. I am inspired by the vision and work of the organisation and
feel very lucky to be working with a dedicated and hardworking group
of people.

I look forward to continuing the good work that has been done by all
the people that have contributed to making enke the success it is
today and hope the work I will be doing on Monitoring & Evaluation and
Fundraising will make a positive difference.

As a parting shot, I will leave you with some wise words by Plato -
“Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in
others”

We can all make a difference!

Posted in enke team | Tagged change, enke, monitoring and evaluation, opportunity, skills, welcome, youth | Leave a comment

February 1, 2012

Wednesday musing: Qualified vs Inspired leadership

By Sizwe Nxumalo

I came across an article on Sunday bemoaning the prospective appointment of Hlaudi Motsoeneng as chief operating officer of the SABC, primarily because he has neither a matric certificate, nor previous high-level executive experience.

Hlaudi Motsoeneng, above, who does not have a matric certificate, is said to be earmarked for the R2 million-a-year chief operations officer post at the SABC, despite his lack of formal training and appropriate experience.

Since then there have been multiple reports on the subject, and many comments by citizens on radio and social media which raise important questions about the value our society places on formal education; and the perceptions we hold about the relationship between one’s level of education and their professional success.

However, what most caught my attention was a suggestion posed by the host of one of Gauteng’s biggest morning drive time shows on Monday. He suggested that if the primary reason for the contention around Motsoeneng’s appointment as COO is his lack of a matric certificate, we should recall that the President of South Africa does not have a matric certificate either, so that fact alone is insufficient to disqualify Motsoeneng for the position.

His argument is that given that the individual occupying the highest office in the nation has not completed his formal schooling, we cannot employ one’s level of education as the gatekeeper for positions of high-level leadership.

I disagree with this argument because it has two possible implications which are both troublesome. The first, is that all positions of high-level leadership have the same set of essential requirements, and so if one individual can undertake a particular position of high-level leadership without having completed formal education, then formal education must therefore fall outside the set of essential requirements for all positions of high-level leadership.

The second implication is that the position of Head of State, being (seen as arguably) the most important position of high-level leadership in the country, it must then follow that it is also be the most challenging; meaning that leadership positions of lesser importance must have less demanding requirements. This allows one to conclude that if a particular individual can become Head of State (i.e. head of the most important office in the land), without having completed formal education, then individuals without formal education cannot be barred from leadership positions of lesser importance.

The sheer diversity in operational activities that different organisations perform (even within the same industries) precludes me from believing that there exists a one-size-fits-all leadership specification that encompasses the criteria required for leading any one particular organisation in the universe of organisations. Even if it existed, I doubt any person could ever fulfil it. And the suggestion that being Head of State is the most challenging leadership position is unfounded. It’s the only organization in the country where the shareholders have to wait 4 years before they can fire you for performing poorly.

One of the important unexamined questions when tackling the “if it’s good for Zuma, why not for Motsoeneng” argument is this: In a given context, what is required from a prospective leader in order for them to inspire confidence amongst the people they will be leading?

I do not know what is required for a leader to inspire confidence amongst the ANC constituency, but I can say that President Jacob Zuma has the goods because his ascendance to the leadership of the ANC was sanctioned by the very people he would be leading.

Private organisations have a different leadership appointment mechanism, where those who select individuals into leadership, are not those who will be led by those individuals, but rather those who are leaders themselves (often of higher ranking than the said individual). However, even given this difference, surely the individuals wishing to select Motsoeneng for leadership must consider whether he will be able to inspire confidence amongst the individuals he will be leading – because without staff confidence in his leadership his effectiveness will be dampened.

From the reports on the staff’s reaction to the prospect of Motsoeneng’s appointment as COO, I can confidently say that the said leader’s level of (formal) education is a definitely a strong factor.

My opinion, it might be “good for Zuma”, but it doesn’t appear to be for Motsoeneng.

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, corruption, economy, education, SABC, socio-economic, South Africa, Zuma | Leave a comment

January 30, 2012

Monday Morning Musing: enke are moving to Braamfontein!

Braamfontein2

If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. – Henry Ford
It’s moving time! Tomorrow enke will be moving to our new Braamfontein offices! We’ll be located on 87 De Korte street.

While we have thoroughly enjoyed our time in Greenside, we are excited to be joining/apart of Johannesburg’s downtown rejuvenation effort.

We hope that our ability to connect, equip and inspire young South Africans will be facilitated by our new location in the heart of the city.

Every change brings with it new opportunities! This is an exciting time in the enke office.

Enjoy the week everyone.

Posted in enke team | Tagged braamfontein, change, community, connect, entrepreneur, future, inspiration, Johannesburg, Jozi, moving, musing, opportunity, shortestmusingever, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

January 27, 2012

Weekend kick-off: Breaking down the walls

Physical, social and psychological “walls” continue to characterize modern South Africa.

barbed wire water tower 001

Physically, people continue to live behind fences, in self-contained neighbourhoods. Socially, they mingle predominantly with their own class or race, and consciously or subconsciously continue to “fear” and have preconceptions about other groups and other areas of town. These are obviously generalizations, but for the most part, if you take a walk through Fourways, or Braamfontein, or East Rand or Soweto, I think you’d find that they hold.

While this is no doubt yet another legacy of apartheid, there is also statistical evidence to support the idea that it wouldn’t be the smartest thing to wander through Hillbrow as a single female late in the evening.

But, if Johannesburg’s CBD rejuvenation is going to work, and if Johannesburg truly wants to be come a world-class city, (and South Africa a so-called “advanced”, developed country), breaking down these “walls” are going to be critical.

Changing the Heart of the City

Last night, I was privileged to join MES (Mould, Empower, Serve), a social development organization that has been working in inner city communities for the last 25 years. Every Thursday, they deliver food and clothing to homeless throughout Braamfontein, Hillbrow and other high density areas. Anyone who wants volunteer their time to join them on Thursdays is welcome to do so.

When I moved here 6 months ago, I very quickly learned where to go and where “not to go”, the so called “no go zones” of Johannesburg. Last night, along with 13 Emzingo Fellows, we made two deliveries, one under a highway north of the tracks in the CBD, and the other just south of the tracks, both locations most definitely categorized as “no go zones” in the minds of those who’d given me advice.

It was a fantastic experience. Not only did it feel good to give bread and soup to people, but to be able to stand outside, on the pavement, at night, in a supposedly prohibited place, and have a chat with people for 30 minutes, felt incredibly liberating.

There were plenty of young women 15-18 year olds also volunteering, and never once was there a sense of danger. In fact, Morgan, the MES coordinator told me that there has never been a safety incident involving volunteers or staff during these handouts.

Two other observations:

1) As I scanned the queue of 60-100 people lining up for food one thing stood out. They were ALL men. I was told that while women can rely on communal networks or prostitution to keep them off the streets, men, who are supposed to be providers and hustlers and “make things happen” bear the brunt of lack of housing and extreme unemployment in this country.

2) Several of the homeless that I spoke to, talked to me about jobs they had or used to have or wanted to have. They were taking the handout, but they wanted to make sure that I knew that they were trying or had tried to make an honest days work.

Although the legacy of apartheid continues to weigh very heavily on so many aspects of South African society, it’s important to focus on the now and the future. What is the reality now, and how can we improve it? Breaking down the physical, social, and psychological walls is probably the first step…

Posted in enke team | Tagged barrier, economy, Hillbrow, homeless, inequality, inspiration, Johannesburg, Jozi, leadership, MES, politics, socio-economic, South Africa, wall, walls, youth | Leave a comment

January 26, 2012

Thursday Around the world: New perspectives

Greetings supporters, alumni, delegates, colleagues or generally interested South Africans!

Today’s Around the world links should bring a new perspective and give you all something to think about as you go through the day and as the weekend approaches.

Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there….

justbecauseyoucan'tseeit

It’s time for women to banish men to the margins, says Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Speaking at a gathering of the world’s political and financial elite in Davos — the vast majority of them men — Tutu said women had long been locked out of policy-making and the world had paid the price

Invisibility cloak breakthrough

Researchers in Texas have made a 3D object invisible from all angles for the first time. Let’s hope criminals, Somali pirates and peeping toms don’t get their hands on that research eh…;-)

Jon Jandai didn’t realize he was poor until the TV told him so. Watch this vid for a demonstration of what’s flawed with our system.

They say we are not here

A documentary on the gay rights activism movement in Uganda.

And that’s your thought provoking around the world for today. Finish the week strong folks!

Posted in enke team | Tagged around the world, Desmond Tutu, feminism, homophobia, identity, inequality, inspiration, knowledge, leadership, perspective, politics, thailand, uganda | Leave a comment

January 25, 2012

Whimsical Wednesday

Oh no, not more about the DA race/politics/sex ad!

Ok, I know you are all probably sick of reading columns, opinion pieces and comments about the DA ad above.

You have to give them credit, they have gotten tons of publicity from this. And as they famously say in Hollywood, no news is bad news. Just ask Britney Spears or Julius Malema.

Two sides of the coin on this are in the Mail and Guardian today:

Chris Roper makes fun of the uproar over the “sexiness” or “morality” of the ad, while Sarah Britton correctly and aptly points out that the DA come across as self-righteous and prissy by refusing to engage with race in a way that acknowledges the inherent structures that are in place here in South Africa.

But I thought it would be worth giving my two cents as an outsider. I’ve only been South Africa for six months (I’m originally Canadian), and to be honest, at first glance I didn’t see what was so controversial about it?

Three other thoughts I had:

1) It’s not entirely clear to me who the ad was intended for, but it seems as though the DA are trying to frame themselves as party for the young, hip and urban populations.

2) It would have been more interesting to see what the reaction would have been if they had a black man and a white woman on the poster as that is what typically gets the Klu Klux Klan types into a panic and enraged frenzy.

3) This is certainly no more controversial than the plethora of highly dubious and borderline comments that seem to come out of Malema’s mouth. I actually find the non-political correctness of South African politics refreshing, although it’s worth pointing out that language can be very dangerous.

The uproar over the ad though, demonstrates that race is still very much an inherent day-to-day reality in post-apartheid South Africa. Whether its BEE in the workplace or the geographical segmentation of where people are choosing to live, or even just the vast array of values that various groups of people in this country hold dear to, the legacy of apartheid has been and will continue to be really challenging to disassemble.

Thats your Whimsical Wednesday for this week.

Next week, enke’s very own Sizwe Nxumalo will beging writing for the Whimsical Wednesday piece (perhaps it will cease to be whimsical?). Check back later for more…

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, community, DA, demographic, gender, identity, inequality, Johannesburg, mailandguardian, politics, race, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

January 24, 2012

Tuesdays Around the World: Controversy, risk and do-it-yourself

1) First up we bring you the DA ad that is causing some controversy in University campuses across South Africa. Here at the enke office, we are somewhat divided. What is the point of this? One of us asks. It would make more of a point if it was a black man and a white woman, another one says.

It should be noted that the DA, as a liberal democratic party, draw their votes from predominantly white middle class and coloured populations in the Western Cape.

What are your thought?

DAadd

2) The Zulu king’s homophobic comments have started an uproar and an investigation. This is not surprising in a country with one of the most advance rights-based Constitutions in the world.

3) Elsewhere former President Thabo Mbeki stands up for gay rights, slamming Uganda’s anti-gay bill.

4) The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks report predicts that there will be a ‘very serious geo-political catastrophe’ within the next ten years.

5) The South African Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) is taking on interns.

6) Hayibo’s take at the Zulu King’s homophobic comments.

“…a grown man who dressed in leopard print skirts, feather hats, elaborate beaded necklaces and who surrounded himself with half naked warriors was probably more of a queen than a king anyway.”

Posted in enke team | Tagged around the world, comedy, community, DA, Democratic Alliance, disaster, economy, Hayibo, homophobic, humour, internships, jobs, Johannesburg, Jozi, race, socio-economic, South Africa, youth, Zulu King | Leave a comment

January 23, 2012

Monday Morning Musing: Bridging the Urban divide

johannesburg_2

Today BBC released a story on recent research that indicates that the economic gap between cities and rural areas is widening.

The story is focused on the UK but the reality is that this is a global phenomenon.

By 2050, almost 62% of the world will live in cities, says the UN-HABITAT.

This is not only going to dramatically change the global social dynamics, (city dwellers are predominantly more liberal-minded than rural populations) but it also has economic implications.

Let’s take South Africa, which is one of the worlds top 3 most unequal societies in the world. The Gauteng province constitutes only 1.4% of South Africa’s land area and yet constitutes over 33% of the entire countries GDP, and 10% of the GDP entire continent of Africa! Despite it’s tiny size, it is one of the most densely populated provinces with Pretoria, and greater Johannesburg constituting most of it’s 11.2 million people.

The gap between Gauteng and the rest of the country (not to mention continent), is a perfect example of the increasing trend towards mega-cities around the developing world. Managing one’s economy so that growth and wealth are not so concentrated is going to be a critical to South Africa’s ability to grow in a sustainable way.

With xenophobia in the townships linked to tension over lack of jobs and economic opportunities, and increasing frustration over taxes among the countries wealthy elites, creating job opportunities in the rural areas might be one of the best ways South Africa’s government can tackle the host of socio-economic problems facing this country.

And that’s your Monday Morning Musing. Have a great week everyone.

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, business, economy, Johannesburg, Jozi, socio-economic, South Africa, urbanization, xenophobia | 1 Comment

January 20, 2012

Weekend Thought: Re-visiting the meaning of the 6 million dollar man

6millman

By Ruth Orbach

Doing some research regarding the power of social networks recently, I was reminded of the Six Million Dollar Man. I was standing at a bus stop in Seattle the first time I saw the Six Million Dollar Man sticker. It was slapped against the clear plastic window of the bus shelter and I hardly gave it a second’s attention. But then I started seeing it everywhere. On trees, on road signs, on the sides of buildings, you name it – the Six Million Dollar Man was everywhere.

The explanation? A sticker slapping vigilante, running around the city by night plastering this peculiar face on landmarks all around? A gang of miscreants, wreaking havoc and spreading an unintelligible message?

Not at all. As I later found out, the Six Million Dollar Man sticker is connection in action. It’s a marker that we’re all interwoven and together, no matter where we come from or where we’re going. People from all walks of life would stick Six Million Dollar Man stickers all over their environments to remind each other that we’re all
connected.

To think about this in an enke context: The connections that we make at the Forum and carry through the year are openings for access to more networks and bigger connections. If everyone that we know has relationships with countless other people, then we are exploding outwards in one giant spider web of social connection. This is how information flows, and it’s how change happens.

Posted in enke team | Leave a comment

January 19, 2012

Thursday Around the World (and belated Musings): Humility and uproar

Today’s TAW will include a “morning musings” as yesterday’s post was missed for medical and bureaucratic reasons (it’s a long story, but let’s just say that South Africa’s notorious bureaucracy finally came through).

First, your musing.

Musing: Humility, Mundanity and Suffering

gandhi_1

I’ve been reading the autobiography of Mohandas Gandhi. It’s an interesting read, particularly when he talks about his time in South Africa, which he considered very formative in cultivating his political ideology of non-violence to combat racist discrimination or a general lack of human rights.

We tend to idealize and glorify the lives of our most famous heroes. When we think of Mandela, we think of his brilliant and clandestine book-writing on Robben Island.

But the truth is their lives were much more mundane and humble than that.

What has struck me about Gandhi’s autobiography was how humble he was, how much he struggled and suffered on a day-to-day basis. Receiving brutal physical beatings from Afrikaans train attendants for having a first-class ticket certainly doesn’t feel very glorious.

That makes me think about the “heroes” (perhaps self-proclaimed) that exist today.

Julius Malema claims to speak for the impoverished, the jobless masses. But his luxury cars, audacious mansions and fixation with his own clothing style/fashion, hardly make him anything like the heroes of the past. While Gandhi lived what he preached, Malema lives a universe away from those he claims to speak for.

The life Gandhi led, may not have been as exotic or high-rolling as contemporary pop culture tells us life should be. But perhaps there’s a lesson that we should take away from that.

In other news……

1) Opray Winfrey’s all-girls highschool had its first graduating class over the weekend.

“Every single girl is going to leave here with something greater to offer the world than her body,” said Winfrey.

2) More on the education crisis in this country:

The SA government has shut down 4300 schools in the last 5 years, with hundreds more now facing closure.

3) Hayibo pokes fun at Capetown ‘hipsters’

What is a hipster anyway? What does it even mean?

4) Red Ants evict illegal occupants

Illegal occupiers of private properties are being evicted without the promise of alternative accommodation, despite a Constitutional Court ruling that municipalities are responsible for ensuring they are not left on the streets.

5) Flying Rhinos

Flying Rhinos from Green Renaissance on Vimeo.

That’s your Morning Musing and Around the World segment. Finish the week strong everyone!

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, around the world, education, Gandhi, Ghandi, Hayibo, inspiration, Malema, oprahwinfrey, politics, rhino, socio-economic, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

January 17, 2012

Tuesday Around the World: False knowledge and weird rules

The latest edition of Tuesday Around the World: Jokes, false knowledge, weird rules and more….

1) Joke of the day: An Israeli doctor says: “Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him looking for work in 6 weeks.” A British doctor says: “That is nothing; we can take a lung out of one person, put it in another, and have him looking for work in 4 weeks.” A Canadian doctor says: “In my country, medicine is so advanced that we can take half a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have them both looking for work in 2 weeks.” A Nigerian doctor, not to be outdone, says: “You guys are way behind…… We just took a man with NO brain, made him President, and now the whole country is looking for work.

2) Keeping on the political note, Thabo Mbeki thinks Twitter is not a valuable source of knowledge. I agree that there are far too many #Kardashian and #Bieberfever trends for our liking, but we still consider Twitter to be a pretty valuable source of information. More importantly, what is Mbeki up to? The rumour mill is running wild…

3) For you drivers out there, SANRAL’s e-tolling system violates the Consumer Protection Act in a number of ways.

4) Zapiro doesn’t like China’s ability to influence SA foreign policy, and uses a Swedish novel to demonstrate it….

5) For some reason the SA government has decided to threaten weatherwo/men with prison if they get their forecasts wrong! Bad day to be a weatherman! Of course, Hayibo says attention-seeking weather wo/men deserve it.

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, around the world, comedy, Consumer Protection, health care, Johannesburg, jokeoftheday, Jozi, leadership, nigeria, politics, presidents, SANRAL, social entrepreneurship, socio-economic, South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, twitter, youth, zapiro | Leave a comment

January 16, 2012

Monday Morning Musing: The boy who harnessed the wind

Today’s Monday Morning Musing is a story that you’ve probably already heard.

But in case you haven’t, below is the video clip of the “boy who harnessed the wind”, the inspirational story of the 14-year old Malawian boy who built a windmill out of scrapyard materials to power his family farm, and feed his community.

In 2002, Malawi was stricken with a famine that left 14-year old William Kamkwamba’s family farm devastated and his parents destitute. Unable to pay the eighty-dollar-a-year tuition for his education, William was forced to drop out and help his parents and seven brothers and sisters forage for food as thousands across the country starved and died.

Determined to improve the fortunes of his family, William started researching at the local library to figure out ways to improve his farms productivity despite the famine conditions.

Despite the fact that he couldn’t read much English, William started to understand, using diagrams, how to build a windmill to generate electricity and improve his farms irrigation.

Not having money to buy materials, William scavenged scrapyards, and built his first windmill out of a tractor fan, a bicycle frame and generator, PVC pipe and blades, and a shock absorber.

At first it could only power one light bulb, but then he made improvements and it was able to make a circuit breaker and power a machine to pump water for irrigation.

Soon news of Williams “electric wind” spread around the community and beyond the borders of his home. Queues of people from the community started showing up to use the outlets, then reporters arrived and his story became famous.

Now 24 and speaking English flawlessly, Kamkwamba is a student at Dartmouth College, majoring in environmental studies and engineering and on track to graduate in spring 2014. He is also working with buildOn.org, working to build primary schools in Malawi.

There is a book out on his story if you are interested in learning more. Kamkwamba’s story is a positive narrative about the power of human creativity and determination, in the face of life-threatening obstacles.

And that’s your Monday Morning Musing. Have a great week everyone!

Posted in enke team | Leave a comment

January 13, 2012

Friday Weekend Kick-off: Welcoming another new face

We hope everyone has had a great week and are looking forward to a weekend full of fun, inspiration and quality time with loved ones.

Today we showcase Margaret, another new “enkling” that has joined the team for the upcoming year. See below her intro:

Margaret Enke Blog Pic

Hi everyone.

I hope you are having a fantastic 2012 so far.

My name is Margaret Chandia, I’m another of the new Projects Interns for 2012.

First of all let me say that finding out I had been chosen for this position was a dream come
true. The work that enke does is really amazing and to be chosen to be part of it is a great honour.

I have been in the office for barely a week now and already feel like part of the enke family. As an Intern my major task will be to organise the Cape Town Forum, a new event on the enke calendar. I’m looking forward to meeting and working with all you Cape Town “peeps”. This is going to be a great Forum!

If you have any questions or you just want to say hi please contact me via email at margaret@enke.co.za or call on 011 027 0678.

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

Margaret.

Posted in enke team | Leave a comment

January 12, 2012

Thursday Around the World: Opportunities and Legacy

Innovations for Health: Solutions that Cross borders

Today’s bag of links features some cool new opportunities for young South African social entrepreneurs, as well as recommended reading or viewing to serve as a reminder of how far we’ve come since apartheid.

1) “The Power of One”

Last night I watched the film “The Power of One”, a movie based on Bryce Cootenay’s novel , which tells the story of PK, a young boy growing up in South Africa in the 1940’s. Whether you watch the movie or read the book, the story serves as a stark reminder of just how far South Africa has come since apartheid. Interestingly, the film was released in 1992, shortly before the system began to be dismantled.

2) Opportunities for changemakers

For you social entrepreneurs or community changemakers out there here are some opportunities for awards, recognition and funding.

Euro-Africa Summit: Brussels 2012

3) SA’s Cuba trained Doctors, hope for rural medicine provision?

Thembinkosi Motlhabane is one of 600 SA doctors who were trained in Cuba as part of a bilateral agreement between the two respective companies. Now he’s returned to a small hospital in the rural Eastern Cape to provide medical services to the community.

4) ONION: Obama asks audience why he should bother running for another term.

South Africa isn’t unique in suffering from partisan politics and cynicism. This hilarious, satirical Onion piece has hit the nail on the head on the state of affairs in the US.

5) Feel the need to be heard?

Voices of Youth let you share your story and comment and discuss important issues with other youth.

6) How to research your investment?

Another “How-to” from entrepreneur magazine that can provide some food for thought.

And that’s your Thursday around the world segment. Finish the week strong folks!

Posted in enke team | Tagged around the world, community, entrepreneur, humour, inspiration, Johannesburg, Jozi, politics, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

January 11, 2012

Wednesday Morning Musing: New faces, New inspiration

This week we’ve been introducing a number of new faces to the office. The latest “enklings” as Lebo Mahasa used to call those indoctrinated with the sense self-belief, enthusiasm, and passion to create opportunities for South African youth (aka. working for enke) will gradually be introducing themselves over the next few weeks.

First up is Portia Mlangeni.

Hey Guys!

Hope you are having a lekker wacky Wednesday because I know I am.

My name is Portia Mlangeni and I am one of the projects interns for enke: Make Your Mark 2012. I know that there were a lot of excellent applications for the position; and I am very much grateful and humbled by the opportunity given to me to work with such a dedicated youth orientated organization like enke. I know that my time at enke will be a fruitful one with long-term relationships established along the way.

I will be having the privilege of working with and learning from the most dedicated, hard working and focused team one can ask for. I am also keen to start preparations for the Johannesburg Forum and begin keeping track of our 2011 delegates and their projects. You guys will be hearing from me very soon…

I can safely say that for the short time that I have been part of the enke movement, it has really broadened up my thinking and what role can I play in making my community fit into a better society. One needs to take initiative to make things happen instead of waiting possibly forever to have them come to life. I know that there are quite a lot of you that can relate to what I am saying.

As the delegate liaison person, I am here to lend an ear, a hand or any other form of assistance and/or support you may require from enke regarding CAP reports or any other relevant issues you come across, or even just to say hi and chat..

You can just drop me an email at portia@enke.co.za , call the enke office on 011 027 0678, send an sms on the sms line (43366, using the keyword “enke” as the first word) or on the enke facebook page. Come on guys…Lets interact!

Portia

Posted in enke team | Tagged change, connect, future, inspiration, Johannesburg, Jozi, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

January 10, 2012

Tuesday Around the world – 2012 begins with a bang!

Yesterday’s piece on the South Africa’s Education Problems, touched nerve with many of our readers, followers, supporters and friends, as it should have.

There’s alot more on that in today’s around the world segment, along with a final cartoon the ANC’s 100 year anniversary and an inspiration goal-setting video, below. Enjoy!

1) Try something new for 30 days

We start off with Matt Cutt’s inspiration video on how you can set 30-day goals for each month of this year. Yesterday we wrote about the enke team’s New Year’s resolutions watch this video and then think about what your goals for the year are. Share your goals on enke’s facebook page.

2) Zapiro’s cynicism on the ANC’s 100 year anniversary

3) South Africa’s education debate cont’d – Math Literacy vs Pure Maths

In this piece, Robyn Clark makes a case for Math Literacy as a way to improve Math scores for a population majority that don’t speak English as a native language.

Like Jansen, Clark calls for the government to do more to prioritize education: “Perhaps the largest issue in the South African Maths crisis is not the willingness of learners to learn, but the lack of support the Department of Education gives to its schools and teachers.”

4) University stampede kills 1

In case you missed it, there was a stampede this morning at the University of Johannesburg which killed one woman, as people lined up to submit last minute entrance applications.

With 180,000 high-school graduates expected to be turned away from University this year, the stampede highlights a desperation that is growing in South Africa, one of the top 3 most unequal societies in the world.

5) Hayibo’s take at South Africa’s exam results announcement

A Preview: “The Department of Education has declared last year’s matric examinations a massive success after a record-breaking 70 percent of candidates managed to get 30 percent of their answers correct.

According to departmental spokesman, Mr Chips Tshwete, the huge improvement in the pass rate was due to “government being much more disciplined and pro-active when it comes to fabricating the numbers we type into the Big School Computer”.

But, he added, the current curriculum had also helped, now that “ugly, elitist subjects” like mathematics had been made optional.”

And that’s your Tuesday Around the World segment. Enjoy your week everyone!

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, around the world, comedy, community, economy, education, entrepreneur, Hayibo, humour, inequality, inspiration, Johannesburg, Jozi, politics, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, University of Johannesburg, youth, zapiro | Leave a comment

January 9, 2012

Monday Morning Musings: South Africa’s education problem

Congratulations to all those who passed Matric this past weekend!

In very few countries around the world do highschool exam results generate as much of a buzz as they do in South Africa. Unfortunately, much of the attention and showcasing the government has done, masks what is a very serious crisis in this country!

According to the government, 70.2% of South African highschool students passed their exams this year, up from 67.8% last year.

But for all the drama with which these numbers were presented, these numbers misrepresent reality because they only include those students who actually sat to write the exams.

They don’t include those who were held back to keep the stats high or those who’ve dropped out of school.

First, let’s look at the cohort.

In the year 2000, 1 035 192 pupils started school in Grade 1. By the Grade 12 final exams this year, only 496 090 of them showed up to write the finals.

So what happened to the more than half a million students who dropped out of school, disappearing from the system?

Once these “missing students” are included in the figures, the number of pupils who passed highschool this week is actually 70% of the roughly 40% of youth who were still attending school, meaning roughly 35% of highschool age students, actually graduated.

The civil society NGO Equal Education agrees with this basic calculation. They estimate the real highschool graduation rate nationally to be 38% when you consider the dropouts.

A second issue is how unbelievably low the passing rates are.

Professor Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of Free State also pointed out in a recent column with The Star, that basically “pupils have to put in a special effort to fail”.

To pass the Senior Certificate examination in this country, a student needs to get 40% in a home language, and two other subjects, and 30% in three subjects, shockingly low when you consider that typical pass rates in OECD countries are in the 60-70% range.

Professor Jansen asks, “What kind of self-respecting nation accepts this level of mediocrity?”

Quality education is the first step to overcoming the inequalities created by apartheid. We at enke believe that the youth need to be better empowered in order for the next generation to be able to create the kind of society they want to see. Finishing education is the first step to achieving that.

But the only way South Africa is going to experience real and positive change, is if the government is fully transparent about the reality of the situation. There is a serious systemic problem facing the youth of this nation.

And that’s your Monday Morning Musing.

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, economy, education, Equal Education, inequality, Johannesburg, Jozi, matric, monday morning musing, OECD, politics, South Africa, statistics, The Star, youth | 3 Comments

January 9, 2012

Kick-off 2012: Resolutions

Happy New Year readers, followers, supporters, alumni, colleagues and like-minded individuals!

We hope that you have all enjoyed the summer holidays, and spent some quality time with your friends and family!

A fresh start

A new year brings with it an opportunity to re-invent yourself. A chance to do-over what you failed to do the previous year. Or build on what you’ve done/accomplished.

With that in mind, here’s a glimpse into the 2012 resolutions/goals for the enke team:

Pip Wheaton – enke CEO: “My goal for this year is to do build my self-discipline muscle by doing a series of 30-day challenges throughout the year.” For more information on the thirty day challenge strategy view this Ted video.

Melissa Nefdt – Program Coordinator: “My new year’s resolution is to exercise for 30 minutes every day. It’s not so much the exercise as the self-discipline that I want to develop”.

Ruth Orbach – Program Evaluation Manager: “My goal for this year is to reduce my carbon footprint. I will conciously consider the environmental impacts of every decision that I make. I think this the most important thing we can do as individuals at the moment”.

Chris MacLean – Media Strategy and Curriculum development consultant: “My goal for this year is to speak french for 30 minutes every day. As a Canadian, it’s important to be bilingual and it’s going to require effort on my part to maintain and build my language skills while here in South Africa”.

Readers, what are your goals for 2012?

Posted in enke team | Tagged 2012, enke team, entrepreneur, goals, Johannesburg, Jozi, Kickoff, New Year, resolutions, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, staff, youth | 1 Comment

December 13, 2011

Tuesday Around the World: Pre-Christmas special

Greetings former delegates, facilitators and presenters, development workers, aspiring entrepreneurs and anyone else who has an interest in connecting, equipping and inspiring South African youth to create the future they want to see!

Happy Holidays!

It would be amiss to not acknowledge that today’s Tuesday Around the World (your weekly source of inspiration, humour and thought) comes at you right before the holidays.

1) With that in mind we start off with a Christmas-themed video (below).

Winter Tale (stop-motion animation) from Sergey Yazvinsky on Vimeo.

2) If you’re ever feeling uninspired, visit The Daily Motivator to get your day started on a postive note!

3) Will joblessness will be take seriously in 2012? Asks Sipho Hlongwane, touching upon an issue that I’ve written about in previous posts.

4)Could Desert Sun power the world?

Like gas-free cars, this initiative might get snuffed out by the powerful oil and gas industry. We hope not though!

5) Hayibo, on South Africa’s support for Mugabe and Zanu-PF.

To comment on this post join our facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/enke.co.za and/or follow us on Twitter @enkeMYM for more updates.

Posted in enke team | Tagged around the world, comedy, economy, education, entrepreneur, environment, Hayibo, Johannesburg, Jozi, politics, social entrepreneurship, socio-economic, South Africa, technology, youth | Leave a comment

December 12, 2011

Monday Morning Musing: The light at the end of the tunnel

“It is better to light a candle, than to curse the darkness” - Chinese proverb.

On Thursday I posed the question: “Are we the lost generation?“, while citing some fairly bleak and disturbing trends and statistics about the future. The post was supposed to be simultaneously informative, but also a “call to arms” of sorts.

The point: There are so many challenges facing South Africa and the world.

The message: You, as the youth, have a lot of work to do to improve this country, and this world. It isn’t going to be easy.

Despite the negative trends and statistics, it’s important to remember just how much positive action is being taken, how much breathtaking beauty there is admist the often obsessively negative picture that gets painted.

The week was book-ended by the positive End of Year Review, during which our ever optimistic co-founder and CEO (a.k.a The Dear Leader) Pip Wheaton, summarized enke’s highlights and achievements for 2011.

I’ve already written about the importance/power of human connection (Connect), and the importance of knowledge (Equip). Today it’s time to Inspire.

Nick Vujicic has no arms and no legs, but that doesn’t bother him.

Nick can use a computer and type. He can throw tennis balls, play drum pedals, get himself a glass of water, comb his hair, brush his teeth, answer the phone and shave. He has started his own NGO Life Without Limbs .

Afghanistan continues to be presented in the media as a basketcase. A failed state. A chaotic war zone.

This video showing ordinary Afghans living their beautiful lives in their breathtakingly beautiful country, is a reminder to not get caught up in the negativity that is all around us.

Afghanistan – touch down in flight from Augustin Pictures on Vimeo.

And that’s your Monday Morning Musing. Have an inspired week everyone!

Posted in enke team | Leave a comment

December 9, 2011

Against All Odds

By Pip

It’s that time of year again. The time where we all complain about time flying and wonder where the year has gone. And so it seems fitting to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that the enke team managed to fit into twelve short months.

There are some obvious highlights: our largest forum ever (146 delegates!), a line up of incredible speakers and supporters throwing their efforts into the programs (if you think this is you, it probably is – so thank you!) as well as more incredible projects being run by inspiring young South Africans across the country than we’ve seen any other year.

That said, I think this year for me has been more about the little things.

Our first end-of-year team picnic. First, because it’s the first year we’ve had a “team”. Playing 30 seconds (very competitively) and seeing the article on enke in Entrepreneur mag for the first time!
Exit interviews with Rue and Lebo, two of the amazing interns who worked with us this year, and hearing about the personal and professional growth they experienced while working with enke.
Talking with 2010 delegate, Meghan, about the challenges she’s faced in the past 6 months as she’s run the amazing Ilizwi Photo Club. Sure, she won the Amy Biehl Spirit of Youth Award and ran an awesome exhibition at the V&A Waterfront, but hearing about the challenges has been both humbling and inspiring.
Discovering a wealth of information from our delegates about the common challenges, and rewards, faced by young people who make the bold step of taking action.
Catching up with a trio of enke delegates who were battling with the overwhelming injustice of the famine in Somalia and eavesdropping as they came up with the idea of the Power of One Movement.
Phoning the seed funding winners and hearing their joy and disbelief as they realised that someone takes their vision seriously enough to give them real money to change their community.
Hearing enke delegates and alumni on the radio talking about the South Africa they want to see. And realising that people are listening.

Of course, there have been tough spots. Starting the year with no staff. The financial concerns of any new organisation. The logistical nightmares of running a national program. The pressure of delivering an experience that will really, truly impact the lives of everyone who comes into contact with enke. I won’t lie, there have been moments where I’ve felt nothing but huge pressure.

But at the end of the day it’s the little moments that make it all worth it.

As I write this, one of the most intense summer storms I’ve seen this season is exploding over Johannesburg and I’m reminded of the reason I love this city, and this country. You see, I always think that South Africa (and Jozi in particular) are like the veld thunderstorms: the energy builds and builds until it explodes, spectacularly, and while that energy can either cause beauty or destruction, it’s always exciting. To quote Joburg journalist, Rian Malan: “there is something you don’t understand: where you are is boring”.

Suggested soundtrack for this blog post: aKing – Against All Odds – http://youtu.be/RuNBpffr87M
(this is the song we play at enke HQ whenever we get good news)

Posted in enke team | Tagged 2011, end of year, Johannesburg, Jozi, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, youth | 2 Comments

December 8, 2011

Thursday’s Thoughts: The lost generation?

A recent UN Population report has warned that an estimated 1.8 billion young people, the largest cohort of youth ever known, will likely see their most economically productive years wasted.

The figures have some, such as the UK’s deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, calling today’s youth the “Lost generation”, with poor infrastructure, lack of jobs and lack of education as critical problems holding young people back.

The news out of South Africa is equally depressing, Adcorp, a leading staffing and human capital management organization in South Africa recently proclaimed that SA’s labour market is in shambles, with 8.5 million people (or 25% of the total population) out of work.

These cynical prognoses sit against the backdrop of further complexities created by South Africa’s labour laws, the 7th most restrictive in the world, the B.E.E hiring initiatives, the tripartite ruling relationship, and xenophobic tensions on the ground that have gotten so alarming that Genocide Watch, a global genocide and mass murder monitoring NGO, upgraded South Africa’s risk status citing racial divisions and xenophobia.

So what can we make of this? What can today’s youth do about this?

Gandhi once said “Be the change you want to see in the world“.

In short, it’s up to YOU.

Below is a video, calling to action the Lost Generation.

Feel free to share your comments below, or on our facebook page and follow us on twitter @enkeMYM.

This is your Thursday thought.

Posted in enke team | Tagged 2011, adcorp, economy, facebook, generation, genocide, Johannesburg, labour laws, leadership, nationalism, opportunity, politics, Population, race, risk, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, twitter, UN, xenophobia, youth | 2 Comments

December 7, 2011

Wednesday Around the World

Welcome to Wednesday Around the World!

Please feel free to post your comments or thoughts on the daily humour, inspiration and food for thought we’ve posted here at our facebook page or follow us on twitter @enkeMYM for more frequent updates.

Today’s bag of links starts with an inspiring video that some of you might have already seen.

1) Did you know that there are more honors students in India, than there are people in the United States?

We need to understand how quickly the world is changing, in order to identify and predict opportunities to create change.

2) The Financial Times showcases two Women Entrepreneurs at the top of their game.

Excerpt:

Being a woman entrepreneur once meant having to choose between running a successful business or having a family. Now, female business owners are establishing new family-friendly business models that enable them and their employees to better manage their work and home lives.

3) An Earth-like planet has been discovered!

(Imagination running wild, dreaming of UFO’s, egg-heads, Distric 9, and riding on a Ikran through the giant forests of Pandora…)

4) A cartoon on the social media generation:

5) The Daily Maverick is concerned about state of the Free Press in South Africa.

Posted in enke team | Tagged around the world, astronomy, change, comedy, daily maverick, demographic, entrepreneur, facebook, financial times, gender, humour, Johannesburg, Jozi, politics, science, social media, South Africa, twitter, youth | 1 Comment

December 6, 2011

Tuesday Around the World – Welcome!

5) Entrepreneurs: How to identify what is the need?

Every Tuesday, enke will be posting a compilation of interesting and relevant links of the day. Some will be humorous, some will be sad, some will be inspiration. Below are the first batch. Enjoy!

1) Learning to Fly: An inspirational short-film of the Blue Crane, South Africa’s national bird, learning to fly. Not only a reminder of the beauty that is all around us, but that learning to fly takes effort and perseverence!

Learn To Fly from Christian Letruria on Vimeo.

2) The loneliest person in the world

This is a sad piece that reminds us of the importance of community and friendship. There’s a tendency for people to ignore one another in big cities, with this being the latest example. Let’s work to combat this in South Africa!

3) Big brother taking over the provinces

Latest news, the national office is taking over more control of the provincial governments. The writer talks about the “democratic deficit” in the provinces and the fact that the media always focus on cities. This is an important issue to think about.

4) Zapiro on Selebi

Business start-up advice courtesy of Entrepreneur magazine.

6) COP17 delegates advised to think globally, act locally and panic internally

To end with some humour, your latest satire and (in this case) cynicism on COP17 from Hayibo.

Posted in enke team | Tagged ANC, around the world, climate change, comedy, community, entrepreneur, friendship, humour, inspiration, Johannesburg, politics, social entrepreneurship, South Africa, youth, zapiro | Leave a comment

December 5, 2011

Monday morning musings: Knowledge is power

Last week, I wrote about the power of human connection, and how enke’s efforts to bring together youth from across the socio-economic spectrum is important in a country like South Africa, with it’s staggering inequality rates, and racially divisive history.

This week, I couldn’t help but think about enke’s second pillar of activity: Equip, as I read a recent article in Business Live discussing the skills shortage in South Africa.

The article pointed out that despite the fact that the African economy (continent-wide) has grown at an average rate of 5% over the past 10 years, a pace second only to Asia, there simply aren’t enough skilled people to fill the jobs that are being created.

This isn’t really news. In 2009, a report by the auditing firm Grant Thorton, revealed that 41% of South African businesses considered skilled shortages as the biggest constraint to business growth.

Furthermore, the percentage of South Africans with tertiary education is 0.6%, well below the global average of 4%.

The goal of enke’s youth forum is to equip South African youth across the country, not only with the capacity to recognize opportunities, but also to have the skills and knowledge to be able to implement their visions/ambitions/goals.

In countries with such high inequality, knowledge truly is power. It’s the only way impoverished youth are going to be able to transcend their socio-economic boundaries.

There’s ample opportunity in this country, one just as to recognize it, and know how to walk through it.

That’s your Monday morning musing for today.

Posted in enke team | Tagged business, education, Grant Thorton, inequality, Johannesburg, Jozi, knowledge, monday morning musing, skills, social entrepreneurship, socio-economic, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

December 2, 2011

It’s time to say goodbye

By lebo

I’m sorry to say this is my last day at the enke office. It is certainly not my last day as an enkling, however I cannot help but feel a little wave of sadness overcome me.

I still remember my first encounter with enke on June 20^th earlier this year. Little did I know it then, that this would be an experience that would mark my heart for a long time. At the beginning I had to paddle like mad in order to keep afloat. The team was always there to cheer me on.

Over the months I’ve learnt a great deal about what goes behind the scenes to make enke what it is today. Hard-work, persistence, professionalism and a little bit of madness is what makes the enke team so successful. We all put in the hours and the effort, and as a team, we were able to brainstorm solutions to challenges that unfolded in day to day operations.

I have had the opportunity to work closely with the 2011 delegates. What an inspirational bunch! Many of them are working diligently on their community action projects and are going against the odds to ensure positive impact in their communities. These young leaders have taught me that age and circumstances should not be used as an excuse for apathy. I feel confident that with many more young leaders taking up action on issues they feel passionately about, South Africa’s future will indeed be a bright one.

Whoever said that change is the only constant in our lives was right. It will always happen, whether we cause it or not. It does not even matter whether or not we receive it with hostility or if we welcome it with open arms. Change is here to stay. So as I embrace this new chapter in my life, I would like to thank enke for grooming me to be able to step into this new opportunity with confidence. I am going to miss this place!

Posted in enke team | Leave a comment

December 2, 2011

enke in Entrepreneur Magazine

By Pip

Apparently we’re “Doing Good”, according to the December issue of Entrepreneur Magazine. See below!

December 2011 Entrepreneur Magazine

Posted in enke team | Tagged business, entrepreneur, future, leadership, magazine, publicity, South Africa, youth | 1 Comment

November 29, 2011

Imagined Communities: An idea that is greater than the sum of its parts

Benedict Anderson, a Marxist leaning political sociologist famously wrote that nations are “imagined communities” because “members will never know, meet or even hear of the majority their fellow-members, and yet, in the minds of each lives the image of their communion”.

This idea has tremendous potential, and encapsulates one of the three pillars of enke’s mission: Connect.

In political and social science, Anderson’s concept describes the reality that nation-states (ie. countries) are modern political constructions that emerged as a tool for mass mobilization and economic organization.

Most people living within a country experience very different lives, and very different day-to-day realities from one another. This is especially true here in South Africa, one of the most unequal and simultaneously diverse countries in the world. And yet, there is something inherently natural about feeling a part of something. One glimpse at the pre and post rugby world cup Springboks rally, is enough evidence of that.

Perhaps the potential of imagined communities, the human ability to establish connection, is greater than the sum of its parts?

Where is all this coming from?

I’ve just joined the enke team. I moved to South Africa 5 months ago from Thailand where I was living and working for the past year.

During the past few weeks as I’ve been reading the news to keep tabs on what is happening around the world, my eyes couldn’t help but pause on the dramatic images of flooding in Bangkok.

Despite the quiet, calm of the Greenside office where the enke team’s braintrust operate, looking at these photos, the familiar smells and sounds of Bangkok, and the memory of the wonderful warmth of the Thai people, comes flooding back (pun intended).

Looking at the people wading through waist high water, I can almost feel the fantastically mesmerizing pulse of a city who’s sights, sounds and smells that typically overload the senses are suddenly muffled under metres of water. Looking at the boats being used to transport people along the now very high waters of the Chao Praya river, I can imagine the people inside. I can imagine how they feel, the sense of helplessness.

The reality is that I probably have just as much in common with the people those boats along the river, as I do with the leathery faced parking attendants who helped me position my car this morning, who smile as I pull in to the office everyday and loyally keep their post “watching my car” sitting on their plastic chair along the side walk.

But it is the potential of that feeling of communion that we should think about, and focus on, rather than the naiveté of it.

The potential of that imagined community to create communion where there wouldn’t ordinarily be, is an incredible thing. For humanity to advance for the better, particularly in a county seemingly as divided as South Africa, we need to figure out how to harness that communion, without relying on racial or class targets.

This is why enke brings together youth from across the social spectrum, to facilitate the imagined communion that exists between all youth in this country.

Connect, is a process that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Chris

Posted in enke team | Tagged class, community, connect, enke, globalization, identity, Johannesburg, nationalism, politics, race, South Africa, youth | Leave a comment

November 22, 2011

enkubator 2011

By lebo

An opportunity is only an opportunity if one recognizes it as such. This phrase has been swirling through my head since we started with the enke: Incubator pilot process. What a journey!

Young enke participants seized the opportunity to apply for seed funding in the hope to advance their CAPs. As only the top 7 CAPs were selected, applicants were required to think of alternative ways to raise funds even if their CAPs do not win the grant. Impressively, all the applicants who applied had thought of alternative ways to raise funds for their projects. This highlighted to us the passion and the drive that these young learners have to effect change in their communities. They will stop at nothing to see progress.

During the telephone interviews we conducted with applicants, we were overwhelmed by the level of impact, innovation, and resourcefulness displayed by the applicants.

After much deliberation, the final winners were chosen:

Shirley Mashiane from Mpumalanga: Shirley is running a Kwandebele Science Teen Zone where they raise awareness on teen/youth issues through relevant discussions, and other activities such as drama, singing, public speaking etc.

Lwazi Sobekwa from Gauteng: Lwazi wants to make people fall in love with education and literature. He hopes to refurbish the library at his school. He is also running a very successful group dynamics class for Physical Education for grade 11’s.

Katleho Modikeng from the Free State: The project is called Sisonke Entertainment. It tackles drug abuse, teen pregnancy and other youth issues by keeping kids in the community entertained through the under 15 soccer league, a board games club and extra lessons for Business Economics.

Tsholofelo Molefe from Gauteng: The Green Fundi Foundation is about environmental awareness, developing recycling habits within the community and raising funds from the recycling to buy sporting equipment for underprivileged children.

Meshack Mtshweni from Mpumalanga: Meshack is in the process of building a library at his school for the benefit of his school mates and the community at large. He has already found a class that will be converted to a library and has garnered up support from school management and his peers.

Claudia Penny from the Western Cape: B.Heard T-Shirts is about giving young people a voice to be heard through teaching them the principles of design and getting them to design T-shirts that represent a cause that they are passionate about. The T-shirts will be sold for profit.

Boitumelo Mokoena from Gauteng: Boitumelo is organising a conference for 244 grade 11 and grade 12 learners from her community in Alexandra. The conference will cover career guidance and life coaching. The aim of the conference is to encourage young people around Alex to dream beyond their circumstances.

None of this would have been possible without the Australian High Commission. We are really excited to see how the projects will go.

Posted in enke team | 1 Comment

November 15, 2011

Worry not – exams will go well!

By lebo

“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” Leo Buscaglia

When faced with new challenges, and new projects, many of us find it incredibly tempting to throw ourselves into the ditch that is worry. We worry that we will not be good enough, or that we will fail, that people will not like us, or that things will not go our way. We worry about things that we have some level of control over, and we worry about things that we have absolutely no control over.

Sometimes, we even spend more time and energy breeding anxiety than we do studying, working, developing and honing our abilities.

As many of our delegates, facilitators and presenters go through the exam period, we would like to urge everyone to be calm and have faith in their abilities. Worrying will not add a single day to our lives, and it will most certainly not enable us to study better either. It will only serve to sap today of its joy.

Work hard and work smart. Use your time wisely. Allow your past achievements to motivate you to do even better this time around. It is in each of us to succeed. With the correct mind set and a good work ethic, this exam period can certainly go well!

Posted in enke team | Leave a comment

November 3, 2011

A 17 year old’s view on Education in SA

Education in our country is divided into categories characterised by the availability of resources. We have schools that lack no resources at all while we also have underprivileged schools that lack at most any resource required. Education in our country is distributed unevenly. Other learners have fully resourced schools while others even lack a roof to call it a school. They learn under unsafe walls that can collapse at anytime. As I think of this uneven distribution, I wonder what the future of our country will be like. It’s tough.

Someone may ask questions like “Who is responsible for this uneven distribution of education?” Or “where are the people who are supposed to make sure that the schools are well developed?” and find different answers. South Africa is the biggest investor in education than any other African country, but we still have situations like these. I’m asking myself questions like “Are our leaders from local municipalities keeping the money for themselves or is the budget a false statement?” It’s intricate but it is clear that something is wrong regarding this issue.

At least something has been done regarding our education as compared to the previous years. Back in those years we had situations whereby a parent/guardian could not afford to pay school fees and learners were forced to go and stay at home. The government solved that issue. Rural and underprivileged schools do not pay fees and everyone has the right to basic education. Some of those who could not afford school fees are grateful for this and are willing to do whatever it takes to create bright futures for themselves.

We might be complaining about the schools lacking resources while other schools have resources, but we have to try and appreciate what we have and work on what we don’t have. It seems like many of those in rural areas use this issue of lacking resources as a reason for not studying. It’s true that rural schools have no sufficient resources but I see no point in using this as a reason not to study. We have learners that obtain ”A” symbols coming from the rural schools. In terms of tertiary institutions, we have lots of bursaries, scholarships and study loans which also contribute to the free education in our country. Education is almost free in our country except for private schools.

Our education in South Africa is not the best of them all and also not the worst of them all. I believe if we can put more effort in it something great can be achieved. We have to accept the little that we have and use it to get the big that we wish for. As young South Africans we can do this.

Meshack Mtshweni

Posted in Delegate's View | Leave a comment

October 17, 2011

Collective Genius

By Rue

Looking back to Thursday 13 October, the term collective genius (which Pip introduced us to) keeps ringing in my mind. I keep trying to picture the 2011 Youth Leadership Forum without our facilitators and presenters; and I simply can’t. Having time to reflect upon their roles on Thursday made me realize just how privileged we are to know these dedicated and selfless individuals.

Just to give you a very rough idea of the lives our facilitators lead outside enke. These are university students who are faced with pressures of tests, exams, research papers, tutoring, marking, conferences, presentations, working on their own projects and part time jobs to mention a few. And yet in all that hustle and bustle of what I would call their core business, they have found time for enke. Together as a collective genius you aided us in making the 2011 Youth Leadership Forum an unforgettable experience. Sometimes the word thank you doesn’t quite capture just how grateful we are.

Taking a step back to the preparation of the event, I see yet again some more collective genius at work. This was the first event that I had to organize. And as can be expected there were lots of moments of panic, feeling overwhelmed, nervous energy etc. But having the team for support made the difference. There is only so much one man can accomplish but together we are unstoppable. And that’s precisely how I felt after having time to talk to and receive support from the enke ‘backstage’ team.

So after what I believe was a successful event, one feeling stands out for me and that is gratitude. To our facilitators and the backstage team, whose commitment, passion, service has not gone unnoticed (HONK!). Together, as a collective genius, we have made our mark and have contributed to making this year a success.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed. It is the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead

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October 10, 2011

We’ve got the power

“Life is under someone’s control – it might as well be under your own so that you can direct your destiny.”

Sometimes the most obvious concepts in life are the ones we overlook. Sometimes we fall victim to believing that we have no power or say in our future. We are lead to believe that we are not good enough, that we have no voice. What if we were to challenge these views of ourselves?

Harry Tucker’s words echo this seemingly obvious concept of ‘self control’. Being aware of the power that you, as an individual, holds is extremely important, especially in our country in this day-and-age. You have the power to be self-motivated, self-sufficient and the power to express your own thoughts and views of the world. This combination of your powers, as well as your personal drive and vision, will empower you to shape and fulfil your destiny.

enke, for me, helped me to realise this the most: I have the power. The whole experience gave me the tools to believe that I have the power to make a difference, a positive change. Since the forum, I’ve had this drive to share these feelings of self-empowerment with the youth around me, and its reaped the most amazing results.

I’ve come to realise that, in the past, I have overlooked the simple and most obvious things. I think a major problem, in our society and youth, is that we overlook our own “powers”. enke helped us all to get the ball rolling with regards to self-empowerment. Take that a step further. BELIEVE in your powers. You could find out that you don’t need a mutated-spider bite or to be from an alien planet for your powers to be super.

Tayla Davies

Posted in Delegate's View | Leave a comment

October 7, 2011

October Newsletter

By Rue

Featured in this month’s newsletter:

2011 Delegates: Exceeding our Expectations
Welcoming a new team member to the enke family
Want to hear what the youth of South Africa are thinking?

2011 Delegates: Exceeding our Expectations

Modikeng from Qwaqwa has been very busy. During school holidays a lot of the learners in his area engage in harmful activities because they have nothing productive to do. He developed a community action project (CAP) which aims to come up with games and various activities at the local community centre during the holidays. He has not made this exclusive to the students, but the community at large is also welcome to join, connecting and engaging the community. The project is being launched these holidays, 30 September – 9 October.

However, this is not the only CAP Katleho has been involved with. Upon returning to school, he also realized that there were students having difficulty in economics. Along with a group of his friends, they started a tutoring program and currently have 35 learners.

It’s inspiring to know that the delegates are going above and beyond what they had initially tasked themselves to do.

Welcoming a new team member to the enke family

This month we are happy to announce the arrival of our new Programme Coordinator, Melissa Nefdt, from Cape Town. She has previously worked for the Institute of Security Studies, the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, Community Action towards a Safer Environment and the British Council.

At the tender age of 4, she told her mother she would visit all the countries in the world, learning each of their languages. Unsurprisingly, she is still working on it… “I’m very excited and eager to get started! I’m proud to be joining an organisation committed to such excellent values and goals.”

Want to hear what the Youth of South Africa are thinking?

Over the past months, our participants have been contributing to the enke blog. It is thrilling to hear the thoughts of these young South Africans regarding the issues they care about.

Waiting for Superman – Lauren Rowe

“When thinking about the injustice I thought I had been dealt compared to the injustice millions of children are facing in terms of their education or lack thereof, it seemed insignificant” …

All it requires for evil to triumph is for a good man to do nothing! – Nhlakanipho Mkhize

“I am certain that you are all aware of the corruption that is developing in our body politic – those are our supposed leaders. We are supposed to follow in their footsteps and emulate them. But what is there to emulate? Expedience, selfishness, corruption and all kinds of immoral qualities that they”…

Other News

We would like to offer our sincerest thanks to Bidvest and Ayanda Solutions who generously donated furniture to the enke offices. If you would like to donate prizes for delegates doing work on their CAPs please contact Lebo Mahasa on lebo@enke.co.za or +27 11 027 0678.

Posted in enke team | Leave a comment

October 5, 2011

World Teachers’ Day

By lebo

Teachers have played an important role in the development of young leaders in our continent and in our country. Armed with not nearly enough resources, there are many teachers who have selflessly taken up the burden of educating Africa’s young. It has often been a battle, and at times even a war, to get to a point where good results could be accomplished.

This day (World Teachers’ Day) is a bittersweet day. I cannot shake up the feeling of ambivalence that comes upon me when I think about the education system in our country. Yes, many teachers have sacrificed more than we can ever know in order to deliver the best, but there have been many others who have been nothing but a burden to our country.

This past weekend I attended a Teach South Africa seminar where gruesome facts about the state of South Africa’s poor quality teachers and education system were dissected. South Africa’s quality of education is one of the lowest in the world, and yet the government spends more money than any other African country to try and address this. Our teachers are also the highest paid teachers in Africa. Why then, is the system not working?

It’s disturbing enough to have to deal with limited infrastructure as well as curriculum that keeps changing, it is even more disheartening to have to deal with teachers who do not teach, teachers who do not care and teachers who can miss up to 50% of school days.

What then do these young kids who attend dysfunctional schools have to look up to? What is ironic is that poor quality teachers are prevalent in poor communities, where the biggest need for education exists. One speaker at the Teach SA seminar said “Some people do not realise that for a poor child, education is the only hope that they have, to come out of poverty.” He also proceeded to say that “The one thing that distinguishes humans from animals is hope. Take away hope, and survival instincts kick in.”

Today we celebrate the teachers that have approached their work with a sense of pride and the desire to inspire and impact learners to become more in life. Today we also appeal to all our teachers to teach as they would like their own children to be taught. In an article titled “Why we must fire bad teachers” Evan Thomson and Pat Wingert state that “What really makes a difference, what matters more than the class size or the textbook, the teaching method or the technology, or even the curriculum, is the quality of the teacher.”

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October 3, 2011

I can’t imagine life without the ability to read…

In today’s day and age we are governed by the need to have things instantly. We expect them instantly actually. And here in lies our greatest weakness. We’ve lost the ability to savour and appreciate everything we see, taste, touch, smell and feel. Teenagers are the epitome of an instant gratification generation, and even I give in to its ways now and again, perhaps more than I care to admit.

If we really think about it, all of our forms of entertainment are fast action, high definition, ear ringing, explosions of information that are thrust upon us in split seconds and we still are not satisfied. We sit on the couch and within 5 minutes we’ve turned on the television, adjusted the speakers, sent 3 BBM or mxit messages, changed the channel again and again. Laughed at someone who fell off a jet ski, got over it and changed again. Some of you must be reading this saying, “5 minutes!? I can do it in 1.”

That’s just the nature of our time. We have the ability to do things so quickly and we figure that that’s the only way it should be done. If you have it, why not use it? I understand the appeal I really do, but somewhere along the way we’ve lost the purpose of time. We forget that it’s an entity we cant get back and sometimes I really think we’re wasting it.

What did our parents do when they were young? They played outside and read books. They knew what was important as it was ingrained into them from birth.

Nowadays when we look at books we grimace and think it the biggest waste of time. We’ll just wait for the movie or TV series to come out. . .Waiting that long seems like more of a waste of time to me. Inside the covers of those books are adventures and romances that you’ve never seen before. People you’ve never met and places you’ve never heard of. That all sounds rather cliche’ and it sounds like I’m doing an advert for a book store, but think about it. Could you sit for years and compile characters, plots, locations, climaxes, anti-climaxes and all of the things that make up an amazing book with just words?

We’ve all become so used to seeing what’s going on that our imagination has been limited to envisioning yourself in an exploding monster truck. Where are the visions of us leading our country? Where are the imaginings of us discovering a new type of plant or a new species of animal? Our imagination is one of our strongest assets. No one in the world has the same imagination as you. It’s like your very own mental finger print made up of thousands of colours and pictures that only you can see and only you can expand on. They’re yours. And no one can take it away from you, but we’re letting them sit, inactive in our heads where it seems they’re just taking up space.

Reading can really help work your imagination. Your vision of the characters is never the same as the person next to you. It’s all personalized. That’s the best part! Every time you read you learn something different for yourself. You experience a unique experience, one only you get to see. Authors have given you their images and you get to play with it however you wish! I think that is so cool!

Literacy is something we take for granted. Everyone can sit and stare at a television screen and make out what’s going on. Reading has therefore become a skill and unfortunately, this skill is NOT available to every one equally and that doesn’t seem fair. People go day in and day out without the ability to read a sign board. Have you ever taken the time to be thankful for that? Reading a sign? I haven’t. How difficult must it be to move through your life if you can’t move through a town without getting lost? It must be horrible. If I couldn’t read, I don’t know if I could survive. How could you read a tin can? What if you’re allergic to something it it? These tiny things we take for granted are sometimes the line between life and death. That’s a sad thing to consider.

When we were in Grade R, do you remember when you were learning to read? I remember it was the biggest frustration ever, but when I finally managed to get through a book, everyone was so proud of me. I beamed from ear to ear. Some of the kids read slower than others, but they still managed to learn. It was the first step to me unlocking my imagination.

There are people your parents’ age who haven’t taken that step yet.

Its very important that they do.

I think we need to go back to the basics. Where we learned something new and important everyday. Where we respected each other. When we knew fighting was bad. I think we should go back to when we were all 5 years old. Back then we had the most incredible imaginations and we learned many of the really important things that we need to manage our lives every day.

I read a lot more then than I do now, and I miss it. Don’t you? Maybe we should take the time to sit back and experience with all 5 senses. Take the time to read a book and explore a little on your own. It could open up a whole new door for you.

Jordyn

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September 26, 2011

Waiting for Superman

“Wake up all the teachers, time to teach a new way, maybe then they’ll listen to what you have to say” John Legend wake up everybody.

When thinking about the injustice I thought I had been dealt compared to the injustice millions of children are facing in terms of their education or lack thereof, it seemed insignificant. Our school system is broken it is a brick wall in the face of change. A man once said when he found out Superman wasn’t real he cried, not because his super hero didn’t exist but because there was no one who could come and save us.

All around the world millions are pumped in to education, with most of the time little to show for it. Firstly we need to change the way we talk about and see teaching as a profession. Time after time bright students, when asked will say they aspire to be doctors lawyers and engineers because these professions are seen as prestigious, yet the people that helped them get where they are, are not seen on this level. Secondly we need to reinstall school pride. Thirdly we need to stop looking at students and saying wow that student has beaten the odds of his background, but rather change the odds.

How do we go about this? By waiting for Superman? We often look to our government in hope that they’ll be our Superman. Research has shown that what makes a school work is a system where the students are the main priority, a school where students have pride and respect. Where they strive to be better and do better, where the expectation of them is more than a pass. Where does it all start? It starts with teachers .A teaching body that is passionate, actively involved, who can relate to the students in the 21^st century and embrace change, makes for a successful student body.

When asked what I wanted to do after school I would reply I’m not sure yet. As of now when asked, I will reply I aspire to have the honour of being a teacher.

The thing we need to realize is that Superman does exist and he can come. Not as one individual but as a driving force. He exists in each and every extra-ordinary teacher who is willing to go the extra mile.

If we are waiting on a superhero then we are not taking the responsibility that is truly ours.

Lauren Rowe.

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September 19, 2011

The power of one

“One person may not radically change the world, but if a million one persons tried to, the world would inevitably be changed radically.” -Kiara

My generation is seen to be ‘apathetic’ and ‘lethargic’.
Can you blame us? No, not really.

However, it is our duty to accept we have been exposed to an apathetic way of life, and then re-define our way of life.

This sounds very cliché, but it is very true–we ARE the future. Really. When all the ‘adults’ aren’t here anymore, we have to take over. The Jacob Zumas and Malemas aren’t going to be around forever, so who’s going to run this country? Well, us. Some people find this a very scary thought to process, because they consider our generation in terms of: the latest drug statistics, teenage pregnancy rates, highest drop-out rates….and the list really does go on.

BUT, then there is us.
WE are the youth of change, the youth of prosperity, the youth of sustenance.
WE CARE. We are re-defining the ‘apathetic’ mind stream of our generation— one-by-one.

We realize we can’t change the circumstances of the world, but we can change the world.
We.Are.Activists.

I realize I am one person. But I also realize that the power of one person has the magnitude to affect a million other people; inevitably changing this world.

I think this quote really captures the essence of what I am trying to say:

“So, to all the sceptics, 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 (enke facilitators)

Kiara Ramklass

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September 12, 2011

All it requires for evil to triumph, is for a good man to do nothing!

I am certain that you are all aware of the corruption that is developing in our body politic – those are our supposed leaders. We are supposed to follow in their footsteps and emulate them. But what is there to emulate? Expedience, selfishness, corruption and all kinds of immoral qualities that they possess?

I think initiatives like enke as well as the general public are facing an immense challenge. That challenge is the government. Isn’t that ironic? The morals and values that programs like enke are trying to instil into the youth of South Africa are in complete contrast to those of our government.

A few speakers at the enke: Forum cited the potential our country has to become one of the greatest countries in the world, which is quite amazing. But I’m scared that that potential will not be translated into reality; and it will fade away because we think corruption is a spectator sport. Would you not be proud of being a South African if South Africa was to be counted with one of the developed countries? Because that would mean less poverty, literacy would improve and all the other issues we are facing would be alleviated.

Your sitting back is your setback. Many of the South Africa’s citizens have chosen to normalize and downplay this act of immorality in our government. I mean, almost every newspaper that comes out contains a story about corruption that has been done by a government figure. But nothing at all is being done about it.

I don’t care how much anarchy erupts as long as those criminals face their retributions. Soon this will catch up with all of us and by then it will be too late to counter act.

Nhlakanipho

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September 7, 2011

Bursary opportunity

By lebo

SABC Education

Media Release

15 August 2011

SABC Education and The National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA) offer Bursary opportunities to the value of R2 000 000.00

Students interested in a career in electronic media stand a chance to win a share of R2 000 000.00 worth of bursaries for studies in animation, graphic design, television and radio production through a partnership between SABC Education and NEMISA.

SABC Education is always looking for opportunities to assist learners in making a success of their career. This partnership offers incredible opportunities for learners in the broadcasting environment. To qualify for application of bursaries you need a Matric/Grade 12 / NQF level 4 related qualifications.

NEMISA has been training young people from diverse backgrounds since the year 2000. This started with training students on a fulltime basis in the areas of Television and Radio production, with just under 40 students a year. The students primarily came from disadvantaged backgrounds with emphasis on women who made up at least 60% of the student population. NEMISA has grown over the years and now produces more than 870 graduates a year, the learners are trained in Television Production, Radio Production, Animation and Graphic Design; MAPPP SETA accredits these programmes.

Through the partnership between SABC Education and NEMISA, NEMISA has awarded bursaries to the value of R1 000 000.00 in 2009 and R1 500 000.00 and in 2010. The recipients of the bursaries came from all provinces.

Closing date for applications is 30 September 2011, for more information and to download application forms, all you have to do is visit www.nemisa.co.za or www.sabceducation.co.za. You can also call NEMISA on 011 484 0583 .

Issued jointly by SABC Education and NEMISA

Contact: Victoria Tau on 011 484 0583 or victoriat@nemisa.co.za

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September 5, 2011

Young Women in Dialogue

It was morning and the young girls (grade 11s and 12s) from varying schools around Johannesburg had come together; some with the curiosity of what the day had to offer, others skeptical, wondering if it was yet another Saturday where old people would try to tell them what to do…

We started the day by splitting the girls into groups, and having them discuss what they thought the challenges faced by women in South Africa were. Later on, they shared their thoughts and most of the points made seemed unanimous. Some of the topics were; lack of female role models, conforming to stereotypes that are put on women and not feeling beautiful or confident enough to be themselves. Most of these problems were attributed to media and that brought a heated discussion in itself. Another challenge unanimously agreed on was the newly termed “Pull Her Down” syndrome, where women fail to unite and support each other into success.

Our guest speakers all had a story to tell; most of them came from challenging backgrounds and, therefore, the girls could relate to them and be assured that all these challenges could be overcome. We had Rachel Adams encouraging the girls to hold onto their passion to avoid being mediocre in something they were forced into doing; Bongiwe Tindleni of Absa spoke about the need to remove the obstacles that make it challenging for girls to access education; our very own Pip challenged our thinking by highlighting the need to bring the men into this conversation to ensure more women leaders; Emily spoke on the power of choice; and Emmah recited a poem about her “Kasi” reality…

It ended up being a day where the girls felt united; they resonated with each other, the speakers and all the women in the room. It was a time where they felt that they have a lot in common and can accomplish a lot together. The young ladies were inspired, empowered and encouraged to do big and greater things as women of South Africa. I remain in awe of the potential our nation has.

Tumi

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August 31, 2011

The people I met through enke

At first when I heard that had been selected to go on a leadership camp in Joburg, I thought ‘ yes, another trip.’ Not knowing what enke had in store for me.

When we were introduced to each other in our classrooms at the forum, I knew I was in the presence of extraordinary people, but at that time, I had not seen the bigger picture yet. I’ts a pity that I did not get to know all of the people at enke because each and everyone of them are God’s gift to Earth.

Some of the delegates came from disadvantaged schools, but they did not let that hold them back. Other teenagers would have had mental barriers holding them back because of their background. Then there were others who came from prestigious schools and they were all down to earth, not conceited at all. They came with a mind set to learn from others and to apply that in making our country a better place. That meant a lot to me.

enke is a community that is thriving with possibbilities, saturated with positive spirits. Being in the presence of the enke delegates and staff is an opportunity of a life time. One day with them could give a person inspiration for a life time, they can change people who are resistant to change for the better.

To some enke might just be another old camp. But to some, enke is a blessing because it gives them the tools to be able to pursue a better life. So words can not explain my feelings towards the enke community, they are just too phenomenal to be put in words. GO ENKE !

Somelezo Dani

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August 29, 2011

The Ripple Effect

By lebo

What sets enke apart from the others, you ask. What sets enke apart from many organisations, institutions and groups, is the fact that we value action over mere talk, because after all, actions do speak louder than words.

After the 2011 enke: Forum everyone was inspired by the content, the people they met and the speakers that came to address us. Attitudes were positive, spirits were high, and most could not wait to go out and conquer the world. Everyone was of the same mind.

However, going back home was more of a challenge, as negativity prevails in most communities, and any talk to of wanting to create positive change is bound to be subjected to scepticism, scrutiny and pressure. This is what makes those people who persevere to start something in their communities despite the odds, true leaders.

In the 2 months since the end of the 2011 forum some exceptional leaders have been rising up within the enke family. This past weekend alone, we saw 3 individuals make their mark.

Tumi, a 2011 enke: Facilitator, hosted an event called Women in Dialogue. Alex, another 2011 enke: Facilitator, hosted an event to empower, motivate and inspire youth. Both dared to challenge themselves (and the rest of us) to engage with the world, to ask questions, to not simply accept things as they are and to take action!

Another enke leader who made ripples within her community this past weekend is Meghan Daniels. Meghan was a 2010 enke: Delegate who started photography lessons for 9 students in Khayelitsha. Through her work setting up the Ilizwi Photo Club, Meghan won the Amy Biehl Spirit of Youth Award. According to the Amy Biehl Foundation, “the Award goes to young people who are making a difference and have gone out of their way to bring positive change to their communities.”

An important aspect of what the 3 individuals are seeking to accomplish is that they want other young people to join in on the movement. This creates a ripple effect of young leaders who want to create change all over South Africa and the world at large.

I do not know what your definition of leadership is, but I am glad that I now know what leaders look like. I am even happier to know that they look like just you and I.

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August 26, 2011

Connecting to inspire

The 2011 enke: Forum brought together delegates from across South Africa, to engage in a number of youth developmental initiatives and to encourage them to network, share their community developmental ideas that will make positive impact in South Africa.

Having acquired needed developmental and leadership skills at the 2011 enke Youth Forum, it is very important to maintain good communication links with other delegates, particularly on issues relating to their CAP (Community Action Projects) progress and challenges. This ensures project continuity and inspires other delegates to do more towards ensuring that their CAP goals are attained.

Towards creating change through the various CAPs in South Africa, an effective youth engagement strategy is encouraged. One that ensures that delegates continuously interact with each other, to motivate each other, share challenges and press on toward achieving their various goals. There is an absolute need, not just to make that change, but to pull other delegates as well by adopting good communication attitude. In the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt “a different world cannot be built by indifferent people”.

Also, linking this need to recent global events, civic engagement in all its ramifications is becoming very spontaneous because of improved communication platforms among concerned citizens. Our smart phones have become amazingly super smart and our websites now contain a lot more engagement/communication options (just to name a few). The impact on positive change has also become enormous and is evident in democratic rallies across the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) regions of the world.

Through advances in technology, it has indeed become easy to communicate and youths are now becoming more involved in positive change. There is an opportunity for delegates to use this evolving platform to create positive change in South Africa. The purpose of the enke website and alumni network is to create a space for such effective communication environment. Please visit as frequently as possible to create this change. www.enkeconnect.com, www.enke.co.za , http://www.facebook.com/enke.co.za and enkeMYM on twitter.

Ikechukwu O. Nwokedi

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August 24, 2011

My thoughts…

My project after the enke forum this year started as mixey and quick as I never could have thought possible – with the words of the enke team giving me strength and helping me find solutions to all of the challenges.
My community action project: as a concerned learner at Mang-Le-Mang Senior Secondary in Limpopo, I’m working to improve the infrastructure of my school, as currently it is in a bad state. My aim is to renovate my school by having: pavements, full and permanent electricity in the hall and classes, open a real library with the old abandoned classes and also plant a lawn for the schools’ entrance as well as a parking lot for the teachers. As if in a dream, I’m already planning up back-to-back meetings with suggested sponsors, if I can make my mark now and give back to my community, to the next generations in my school, only God will know what to do with me.
It may sound like a fable but I’m not ready to give up without a try.

Pontsho

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August 15, 2011

My enke experience

I was sitting in my L.O class one day when my teacher told us about this “enke” forum. It sounded not only like a challenge,but an opportunity. The excitement grew each day that the forum got closer! I was determined now more than ever that I,Leandra Koopman,along with 142 other grade11 South Africans,was going to make my mark.

On arrival,the ice-breakers and having met more that 100 people within the space of 3 hours got me so amped!! For the first time ever,being amongst so many strangers felt like being amongst family. It was as if we’d known one another for years. I was also given the great opportunity of getting to know people from so many different backgrounds,which allows one to see how fortunate you really are and what people are going through and how they live in the rest of our country.

Then there were our absolutely amazing facilitators and presenters. They were so enthusiastic and showed in so many ways how blessed they were to have us there and to walk this journey with us. They were a much greater blessing to us ,though, as they were always there to help, went through everything with the greatest enthusiasm, and most importantly-they had the greatest amount of faith in us. The actual program was life-changing and enabled us an entirely different outlook on life,as well as a better developed attitude. The guest speakers were WOW! They had such immense insight and the fact that such important people took the time out to come and speak to US was truly phenomenal!

Each activity was amazing,and every single person that I met was indescribably enthusiastic and showed passion beyond my belief. I thank each and every person-facillitators,delegates, organizers,presenters,speakers for allowing us this life-changing experience,but above all I am grateful to our Lord and Savior for people such as Pip who make such forums possible and for the opportunity to be part of a greater family and together,make our mark.

Leandra Koopman

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August 10, 2011

Women’s Month events

By lebo

Petunia Koitsioe’s event: Panel discussion on corrective rape.

Venue: Alliance Francaise, Soweto.

Date: 13th August 2011

Time: 2pm

email: petunia.koitsioe@students.wits.ac.za

Cell no: 076 628 24 74

Tumi Baldese’s event: Young Women in Dialogue: Challenges faced by young women in South Africa in the present day

Venue: Auditorium, Absa Towers West, 15 Troye Street, Johannesburg 2001

Date: 27th August 2011

Time: 10h00 to 14h00

Email: tumi.baldese@gmail.com

Cell no: 073 615 4682

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August 8, 2011

Leaders are born verses leaders are made/developed

In the year 1941, a man had visited a school somewhere in Britain. He was asked to deliver a speech to the students. He went to the podium and said, “Never give in-never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense, never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” These were the utterances, the plea of a man who had failed his Matric thrice; Sir, Winston Churchill.

It is sufficiently evident that this speech was delivered with great passion and zeal. It is evident that this man had experienced something in his life that sparked these words. It is this short speech that keeps some people alive when they’re in the gutters. I am convinced that Winston Churchill was no born leader, that the words he spoke were seasoned because of his life experiences that served to refine him and make him fit for his purpose.

The human mind contains the ability to think or believe that one is higher or more important than the other, which is destructive to the collective development of society. It is of critical importance that we understand this law. There is a fine line that we ought not to cross. Therefore, logic will tell us that some people are just brilliant (which supposedly makes them superior), whilst others are not (supposedly inferior). This is the state of the human mind. However, the unofficial laws of true leadership state that a team is a “team” because no one person is perfect and therefore everyone needs everyone. This is where the leader comes into the equation. He is not the icing on the cake, but the yeast in the mixture.

When people believe that they were born to be leaders, an element of superiority and dominance often parades their minds. They may have been born with certain special characteristics that could enhance leadership or add to their résumés, but in essence leadership is learned. Leadership is adapted to the individual, it is life experiences that teach us lessons, it is hardships that shape character, and it is in failing that we learn to succeed. A person may be divinely appointed to become a leader from birth, but he or she is not born one. He or she grows into it. After all, “the future depends on what we do in the present”-Mahatma Gandhi.

Jo’ash

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August 5, 2011

Into The Sunset…

What an era the 2000s have become. Risk and instability have become the norm (seems like we should’ve seen this coming the moment Y2K concerns became the most significant indicator of the new century), nothing seems to last more than a year at a time (didn’t we just come out of a recession?) and seriously – if i order the 4 month old iPad2 right now, by the time i receive it a newer model will be on the market.

Rapid transformation and turmoil really are the order of the day now:

Apples share price has morphed from a $25 gamble for loyalists in 1999, into a $400 holy grail for anybody lucky enough to even sniff obtainable shares today;

Angry cows invaded Europe and threatened to make us all insane for turning them into Big Macs all these years; and

Pluto isn’t a planet any more, seriously, I didn’t have to fail general knowledge all those years ago!

We really could go on for days if we were to recount the all the movements such as FaceTube, trillion dollar notes, World Cups, and Justin Biebers, who have reshaped the global landscape. Here’s a thought – what’s the single most significant event of the last ten years in your opinion?

In all of this, I feel that the major issue is one of mindset. Unconventional is the new traditional, possibility is the new certainty, and more importantly adaptability (encouragingly) has become a surprisingly pervasive quality in overcoming complex impediments. Think about it: if you can’t sing a lick, there’s auto-tune (not so encouraging); if you can’t act, then start a reality show; and if you’re Tiger Woods, eish, well that one’s a little harder…

Whatever the path taken, it’s impossible to progress without trying something new. Apply what you know to novel situations, but of course that means getting to know something in the first place. Learning to adapt simply needs learning in the first place. That’s why education in South Africa is so critically important right now. When you open one door, something invariably gets left behind so accept that change and progression are inexorably linked. Prosperity belongs to everybody in this gloriously apportioned nation. We need to inspire all social players to contribute to any opportunities associated with improving the socio economic conditions of all South African communities. We talk of education and entrepreneurial development as representative of this nation’s future; well let’s engage in a process that advocates these policies to those without the opportunity read magnificent posts like these. Ruth, Lebo, Ike and Rutendo – you all have CAPS to start, right away please.

We may never see such glorious opportunities to make a difference again, so take what you can, give nothing back. Yes, I’m signing off with an oxymoronic “Pirates” quote.

Sup.

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August 3, 2011

What’s luck got to do with it…

The age 21 is considered a milestone age; it qualifies you into adulthood and you can finally get the answers to the questions our parents kept postponing to answers because we were “too young to understand”. A recent custom that I have been bombarded with and have come to do myself is relative profiling – seeing how far I’ve come and where the people I grew up and went to school with are at as well and sometimes the reality leaves you asking “where did it go wrong?”.

I was born and raised in Soweto, went to a convent high school and am now in university. When I implicitly profile myself and the people I grew up with, we’re are so different now; parents and community members feel I’ve done quite well and my peers not so much and I wondered why. The general thinking amongst my peers is that I am lucky! But what’s luck got to do with it?

With the guidance of teachers, my mother and others, I had been pushed to invest my time and energy into things that will benefit my future. As crappy as it was then that my peers could play and party into the night, where and what I am right now is return on the investment that I made from years ago and that makes me grateful.

Everything you do, consciously and subconsciously, is an investment in your life and in time, the outcome reflects your efforts. To be able to control your outcome, be conscious and decide what you invest your time and energy into and accept that great rewards and benefits don’t come in the short term.

Luck has nothing to do with it; it’s got to do with what you invest into it.

Much love,

Tumi

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August 1, 2011

What I Wish Kids My Age Would Do More Often

Some may think of me as a dreamer, an idealist even a wishful thinker… but I am Kayla Kroneberg, a 17 year old in Cape Town who considers herself , like Nina Simone says, “… a soul who’s intentions are good..”. So please [dear friends don’t let me be misunderstood].

These are my wishes, my dreams for the future.

I wish we did more meaningful thinking and less meaningless activities. I wish we would question all the wrongs and voice our individual opinions. I wish we paid more attention to the news and less on the latest episode of Gossip Girl. I wish we would stop filling our bodies with the fast food take outs like McDs and rather try the fresh, yummy, environmental friendly food from Kuawais. I wish we were less selfish and more selfless. I wish we were more self-centered when it comes down to peer pressure. I wish we would respect and love others no matter their background, race or socio-economical differences. I wish we had more dialogue across different cultures, religions and communities. I wish we spoke about the social illnesses that affect us and not ignore it. I wish we would stop trying to fit in and just stand out. I wish we would stop trying to ‘find ourselves’ and just be. I wish we would care more about our environment and planet, our miraculous Earth. I wish we were more open-minded and tried learning and being open to new, interesting things. These are all the wishes I have for myself, BUT more importantly these are the wishes I have for the youth that care enough to make the difference.

Kayla Simone Kroneberg

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July 26, 2011

My experience at the 2011 Youth Forum

Being a part of the 2011 Youth Forum was very inspiring mainly because of the opportunity I had to meet very interesting young people and speakers from different backgrounds across South Africa. It was a first time experience, which I found very engaging. I met a lot of young people with huge zeal to improve the living standards in their various communities toward making South Africa a better place.

My highlights at the forum were the opportunities to listen to some of the really great speakers like Moelesti Mbeki who spoke about the need for youths to build good leadership qualities towards achieving success, Clem Sunter who encouraged young people to develop a positive mindset in life and to be ‘street wise’ in order to succeed in harsh environments and, Setlogane Manchidi who stressed on the need to persevere in life, despite the challenges one might have.

I was also delighted to chat with some of the delegates at the forum, and was truly thrilled at their determination to make a positive change in their communities, through Community Action Projects, otherwise known as CAPs. It was humbling and encouraging to see young people who are selfless and really eager to take the lead in their communities towards developmental projects aimed at improving the living standards in their communities.

Through their willingness to serve their communities and other people, I realized that in my little space (and indeed yours), I (you) can contribute to positive change by using my (your) skills, experience and knowledge in improving the living standards of an entire community, country and even a continent. We don’t really have to wait for anyone in our various countries, provinces, communities, homes before we can make a mark towards change. We can all start now!

Ikechukwu Nwokedi

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July 20, 2011

Post-forum blues

By Pip

I always find this part hard: the acclimatisation back to reality, the post-forum-blues. The party’s over. The delegates have gone home. We’re left sweeping up the popcorn. I’m exhausted and all I want to do is sleep.

I’ve spent the past couple of days working out what just happened last week. The only thing I’m clear on is that 2011 was the best forum we’ve ever run. Hands down. Each year has been awesome, don’t get me wrong, but it’s like there was an extra spark of magic in the air. 145 delegates? 22 facilitators? 14 backstage crew? Not only was it magic – it was MASSIVE!

The week for me is now made up of snapshots: dancing with the presenters side of stage on Monday morning, as we watched the delegates file into the auditorium for the first time. Sitting on the floor with a delegate from the Eastern Cape telling me about his plans to run a soccer competition in his town. Our “rock’n'roll posters” lining the columns at African Leadership Academy, enkefying the place all week. The backstage team hard at work on their computers making sure everything ran like clockwork. TK, with a look of pure admiration, losing her words when she met Setlogane Manchidi from Investec. Jo’Ash and Lauren sitting, looking surprisingly confident, in the SAFM studio just before going on the radio for the first time. The facilitators, 11pm on Wednesday night, in a circle in the common room staying up late to resolve problems, showing their commitment to making the enke team stronger than ever. Looking out at all the delegates on their feet at the closing ceremony, giving the team a standing ovation for their hard work during the week.

Magic.

Can we do it all again tomorrow?

reflection

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July 19, 2011

Reminiscing…

Every person I crossed paths with during the enke forum is unforgettable. And no matter how short the one week forum was ,I felt like being in a large family. With like minded people coming from different backgrounds with a common goal to better themselves and their communities.

So the weather is a bit chilly and just a couple of days running to the 2011 enke forum. It kind of reminds me of how cold the weather was during my 2009 enke forum . To make the winter even more unbearable was that I’d forgotten to bring a blanket along . So I just relied on the fact that my mother could always bring it tomorrow morning ( after all I only stayed 30 minutes from where the forum was being held) . However I was lying to myself, I was going to freeze and believed that I needn’t bother anyone about my carelessness I crept into bed that night with the tiny blanket I’d received at check in and prepared for a long cold night.

Had it not been for Conny, my roommate, the ‘long cold night’ would have perhaps been a reality and despite the ridiculous communication barrier between the two of us we got along really well. On the first night , she borrowed me her blanket and since then I will never forget her humanness, humility and kindness.

Two years have passed since, and interning at enke particularly assisting on setting up the alumni portal has given me a chance to lend my blanket to enke.

Ayanda

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July 14, 2011

Garment renaissance

In life, an essential characteristic is not to take things for granted but rather to take them with gratitude. Many of us rarely “have to do without”, a condition that naturally dulls our ability to self motivate or take advantage of opportunities that present on our doorsteps.

I remember reading somewhere that is the only truly universal condition. All work takes place in time and uses up time, and we never seem to have enough of this unique, irreplaceable, and necessary resource. Few things distinguish effective organizations as much as an appreciation of time, adherence to principle, and fortitude in difficult decision making scenarios.

On the subject of things I heard elsewhere, how good is “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, that is why they call it the present”? (Chocolates to the first person who posts the author by the way).

Anyways, rest assured those making the best use of their time will be named and famed – so hats off to JOZI INK DESIGNS, and their rep Andrew Lambert. These guys truly climbed the highest mountains and crossed the widest seas to deliver our much-needed Forum wear in less than 24hrs!!

Talk about taking the eish out of tax-eish-on.

Outie.

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July 14, 2011

Halala enke!!!!!!!

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but no one can touch what lies within me”

How can one forget such a phenomenal speech from such a phenomenal individual. Not only did he get one but two standing ovations. I am confident I can speak for many when I say, that was one of the best hours of our lives. A man from very humble beginnings who persevered and did not wait for change to happen but made change happen for himself – (HONK HONK). Even though the speaker was brought for the delegates I found myself relating to a lot of the things Setlogane Manchidi was saying. ‘It’s like he was speaking to just me.’ How many times have I received the “we regret to inform you email” and unlike Set I definitely let it affect me, my confidence and esteem. Today Set’s words have left me with a lot to reflect about. So what did I learn: a) you always have a choice. Never let your circumstances render you ineffective, leave you doubtful, hopeless and feeling like you don’t have a choice. Yes you actually have a choice (besides the family you were born into). b) Fight for your dreams, scream and shout if you have to, to defend the value that lies within you. c) Get rest but don’t sleep too much, you snooze you lose walala wasala. Hard work definitely pays. Set is a living testament to that. So after today and the honour of getting to listen to the inspirational words of Setlogane Manchidi, I am not looking back. I will fight to realise each and every dream, even those I had set aside because I got in my own way. HALALA enke HALALA!!!!!

Rue…

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July 13, 2011

First Enlightenment

As I sat in one of the back seats, gazing at her as she uttered words that reached deep within me. Words that awakened some of my slowly dying hopes and dreams and I could sense an atmosphere of inspiration in the auditorium. As Rachel opened up about her past and the struggles that she went through to get where she is today, it reminded me of how privileged our generation is in terms of opportunities in education.

As she filled in the gigantic gap that exists between her difficult up-bringing and her successes with events of bravery and determination, it demonstrated the power of a dream. It is the power that we could all have and harness by believing in our potential and our gifts. Her story reminds us of how our backgrounds should not hold us back; they shouldn’t drag us back and pull us down. We are much more privileged than the recent generation of young people and we should strive to ignite change that will empower the next generation to develop Africa.

Rachel said “As talented as we can ever be in terms of leadership, our talent will be irrelevant if we do not understand the context that we seek to lead in”. A statement which, based on the few questions she had asked about Africa, is absolutely true. Most of us know very little about the history and current situation that exists in the continent that we would all love to lead and that is one BIG step that we should start taking. If there is one thing that I wish we could all get on immediately, is learning more about our continent.

The most dangerous things are those that you know not and know not that you know not. Now that we know what we know not, we are inspired to empower ourselves and in the long run, empower Africa.

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July 10, 2011

And Here It Goes…

By lebo

Nervous smiles warm up the chilly winter morning as thick anticipation is cut by the number of chores we have been engaged in all morning. The hallways are bare but all the back stage preparation lets me know that it will not be like this for much longer. I watch us huddle around fan heaters brewing in the mists of greatness but it seems like they don’t know it. Our ordinary appearance reminds me of a Malawian Proverb: A great leader is an ordinary person with extraordinary wisdom. Last night we timidly shared or hopes and dreams for the week and each response was selfless. I will compare todays thoughts with those I will experience on Friday, I have a feeling I will not have fruitful adjectives to compliment the day well enough. As the fish swim in the sea and the birds flutter in the sky we too will go with the organic flow of the week.

Petunia

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July 10, 2011

my hopes, you ask…

I think it’s an enke thing. Every first meeting you have with a new team you are asked to share your hopes for enke while with them. When I shared my hopes for the forum, the nerves got the best of me and I did not really tell them in their entirety. So allow me to take this time, to completely sell my story, to tell you what it is I dream of for this coming week. Brace yourselves…jokes. No, but really- do you have your 4-D glasses ready to see my hopes for this week. They are that big! So here goes. I simply, in the most astronomical way ever, want the lives and dreams and hopes of everyone who comes to forum, to change me. Quiet selfish, I know. But when you know you are going to be surrounded by a group of amazing people, with amazing stories, what more can you ask for but for their lives to touch yours and make you a better person?

Shoki

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July 6, 2011

A shout for a hero

Moeletsi Mbeki.jpg

Very few South Africans who fought against the apartheid regime continue to fight for the struggle of the African peoples today. This is a pity. The increasing gap between the rich and the poor in South Africa is one of the many indications that the struggle of the African peoples is not over. An indication alerting us that we need more fighters.

There are always a few bold men that stand when the rest choose to sit on the problems their countries face. Moeletsi Mbeki is one of the few that are bold. He is a pan Africanist whose undying love for Africa and its peoples has allowed him to fight even today, post-apartheid, for positive change in Africa. His wealth of knowledge on the economics and politics of not only South Africa but Africa in its entirety have touched many lives for the better.

Now, when I heard Mr Moeletsi Mbeki was coming to speak at the enke 2011 forum, I yelled my lungs out. Why? Well obviously because I am finally going to meet a man who is not only madly influential in Africa but also because his influence has always been positive. Something we desperately need as Africans- Leaders with positive influence. So tell me this, with the little that I’ve said about him, don’t you all want to yell with me in excitement? Of course he deserves more than a yell, but for now, till he graces with his presence at the forum, that is all we have.

shoki

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July 5, 2011

Coming Home

When I read about the month internship opportunity at enke, I jumped for joy having known the impact the forum made in my life as a delegate in 2009. I stole a moment to reminisce over the “realness” (with a lack of a better word) of the enke delegates that I had an opportunity to meet and engage with.

Being given the opportunity to work as an enke intern, especially on the enke Alumni Portal to connect with fellow 2009 delegates, was the best thing enke could ever ask of me. I was over the moon and couldn’t wait to embark on that very exciting journey!

Having had the enke: Make Your Mark experience first hand and loving every minute of it, assisting enke in their expansion process and being a part of that venture was more than an honour. And if I was granted a wish today, I would give every grade 11 student who has a passion for service the opportunity to go though this remarkable one week long LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE without hesitation.

enke: Make Your Mark

Noni

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June 30, 2011

is there anybody out there?

By lebo

Why aren’t they doing something about it? Someone should change that. Someone should protest. Someone should report that. Somebody, anybody, do something.

Many of us have uttered these words when situations around us seemed desperate. Perhaps many of us have uttered these words more than others. We look around our world, our communities, and we are nauseated by the poverty, the crime, the low pass rates at schools. In our helplessness we hope and pray that someone somewhere will change it.

We walk around carrying pity like a trophy, shaking our heads for our peers who desired to go to University but never had the money to go. We look at those who have no environmental conscience in shame. We harden our hearts when we see the kids in our communities turning to drugs and crime because they think there is nothing else in the world for them.

If we are from more affluent backgrounds, we take it for granted that we may have access to resources that others can only dream of. If we happen to be from disadvantaged backgrounds, we bury ourselves in our circumstances and fail to believe that we too can make it. Is there anybody out there?

Well I have got news for you. That somebody is you. That anybody that we are constantly calling out to save the day is me. Each one of us has what it takes to be a catalyst to positive change. Young enke graduates have been living examples that we can all do it. Lessons for photography have been shared, pass rates have been improved at matric level, environmental awareness activities have been embarked upon. enke has played a pivotal role in teaching that we have all been equipped with something that we can contribute. So come on, you do something!

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May 13, 2011

BOOM

The training retreat……….. What a weekend! It was the longest weekend of my life (in a positive way) I got to meet so many different personalities in a space of four days, I didn’t only get to meet new people, I got to strengthen relations and, bond with people I knew before the retreat. Learning-wise my brain took a positive battering with an overload of information that I would have not been able to receive had I not been a part of enke.

I feel very privileged to say I was part of the inaugural enke retreat. The energy at the retreat was explosive (((((((BOOOOM))))))), it makes me wonder what the Youth Forum in July will be like.

-Ivan

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May 10, 2011

Life Changing Experience

Greetings all – brilliant new post from Rebecca Sweetman. She has really brown hair…

***

Having attended the Graduation Ceremony for the Forum last year I had high expectations for the weekend, however nothing could have prepared me for what actually took place.

To start off with, we were in Berea, or more specifically, we were on Hillbrow Road. Not known for being the safest part of Johannesburg and with my local friends (I’m from and live in London) not feeling particularly comfortable to drop me off there, could this really be the location for something special? Stay City however was incredible. Where else do you find an employee running past you because she has forgotten to put towels in some of the rooms and a security guard who not only follows our instruction of not letting anyone leave by making it tricky for even our guests to leave the premises, but in his role as keeper of the table tennis equipment even asks you whether you are on a break before handing them over!

In our 10 man presenter and backstage team there were many new faces since last year, including me, yet by the end of the first day we were working as one unit. Then after only 68 hours our 10 man team was suddenly a 35 man team – I cannot wait for us all to work together at the Forum!

At the end of the weekend I thought hearing that the weekend had exceeded everyone’s expectations was enough to believe that it had been a success, however when someone turns round and says that it was a life changing experience that’s something else…

Becca

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May 4, 2011

Seeing clearly

By ruth

maskoLittle Prince

There is a line in The Little Prince where the prince says, “Here is my secret. It is very simple: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly. The essential is invisible to the eyes”. With the clarity of retrospect and the viewpoint that comes from floating along with my head in the clouds somewhere between the stratosphere and ozone, I can look down on this past weekend and say with complete conviction that my heart is now as open as my eyes.

Each individual at the training retreat brought strength of character, fortitude of mind and spirit and an overwhelming ebullience. The facilitators are awesome. It took only 3 days to create a team that is truly capable of creating positive change. enke has an intense sphere of gravity: we’re all sucked into its orbit. But there’s no better place to be. After spending this weekend with the new enke team I can’t wait for what’s to come. The journey has just begun and already it feels great!

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May 4, 2011

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

…Whats this?

For those in attendance at the recently completed enke Leadership Scheme, an interesting take on vision and mission statements came up which I believe warrants a little more consideration. Take a moment to ponder on the following article that lays out a few details regarding some of the shortcomings of conventional vision/mission related practices in the non-profit world. “Do not trust the cheering, for those persons would shout as much if you or I were going to be hanged.” (O.C.). Keep your wits about you people, he’s always watching…

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April 19, 2011

Decades in a week

I entered the Enke world totally oblivious to its vision. My only interaction was a brief meeting in Cape Town with one of its founders, Pip Wheaton. After going to JHB to the presenters training session, I have to admit that I have been bitten by the Enke bug. During the 2 day training seminar, excellently facilitated by Ilana Wetzler, I realized that I was involved in an organization which creates the platform for South Africa’s youth to make waves of change. This is all orchestrated by young dynamic individuals of this country. The training itself was thought-provoking and a total eye opener as to what I did not know about myself. It gave me insight into what leadership actually is. This is something that everyone who aspires to grow their personal success needs to know.

Being one of the only presenters from Cape Town and now heavily infected by the Enke bug, I developed an acute social disease called FOMO Disorder (Fear Of Missing Out Disorder). The team at the training had such a great energy and spirit that any occasion where they would come together in the future without me would aggravate my FOMO Disorder.

I look forward to the Forum Week in July during which I will have the opportunity to interact with some of South Africa’s agents of change, the Grade 11’s of 2011. As much as it seems that my purpose is to facilitate, motivate and (hopefully) inspire, I am more certain that I will be the one who will be inspired.

“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen – (Russian Revolutionary V.I. Lenin)” – Let the Enke Week be the start of decades.

I am a Cape Town-based entrepreneur just carving out my print in the block of wood, Stuart Minnaar

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April 15, 2011

…meaningful experiences

My enke journey began in 2009 where I was a mentor for the program. This experience proved to be one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I got the opportunity to interact with the delegates on personal level and it was amazing to see how brilliant these delegates were.

The training that took place on the 7th and 8th of April was a big eye opener for me because the training and knowledge imparted on us was so rich and could apply to anyone’s life. It changed my outlook on a number of things and more importantly it made me more interested in being a presenter or facilitator. I also got to meet the wonderful people I will be working with. From the onset there was an air of dedication that just kept on inspiring me. enke for me is a place that allows one to grow in every way because all my interactions with the programs are insightful. I am very excited to be part of this forum once again.

My name is Qondani Tshuma and I am studying my BA at Monash University South Africa.

GO ENKE

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April 14, 2011

It’s an addiction

This year will be my 3rd year being involved in enke, if enke was an educational institution I would be obtaining a degree (hmmm bcom enke, like the sound of that) as this thought crossed my mind I was reminded that just as we do things to gain something, like studying for a degree, I asked myself why enke?

Growing up in the township, I am surrounded by many of the challenges that youth face. The problem is that most of the youth feel helpless; enke is about giving the power to the youth who want to be change agents in their communities and the country as a whole. With my passion for youth development, enke quickly became my addiction! I can now help in serving a group of young people ready to make an impact in SA and in that I am also blessed. I am also overwhelmed by the personal growth the forum has given me. I now have a different view towards the problems our country faces. I have been taught that instead of being a bystander I should instead be a part of a solution. There is also that indescribable feeling you get after spending a week with the delegates and they say “thank you”….you have contributed to someone’s life.

With all that and the fact that I get to spend a week with change agents and the future leaders of SA, why wouldn’t I grab this opportunity to make my mark and be the change I want to see like mr ghandi said?.

enke my passion

enke hope for the future

enke make your mark!!!!!!

By Christina Hlasa

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April 13, 2011

Our future!

enke had its 2011 presenter training last week and so throughout this week we will be introducing you to our amazing team!! Below are some of the thoughts shared by one memeber of the presenter team

“The presenter training took place over the course of two days and it covered several concepts, many of which were essential for facilitation. It was also the first time all the presenters came together, old faces from the previous enke forum met the new faces for the upcoming forum.

Our training was led by Ilana, who took us through a wonderful workshop that challenged our intrinsic capabilities mentally and physically. We took part in team building activities indoors and outdoors where we developed self awareness and awareness of those around us. Many lessons were learned throughout the training, the lesson that stood out the most for me was preparation, as preparation insures quality.

The two day learning experience felt longer as I made new friends and reinforced old relationships. The enke team is looking strong, I am looking forward to our future!

My name is Ivan Achiume, I have just graduated from Monash University where I studied a BA in International relations and Business Management. I was involved in Enke 2009 and I’m Back for more!”

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March 30, 2011

SE Dilemma Part 2: The Burden of Perspective

Social enterprise: the bastard child of anonymous parents.

Even as a reasonably well established (albeit poorly understood) socio-economic movement, there isn’t a particular character capable of legitimately laying claim to SE’s origins, or in fact declaring primacy in the promotion of its principles. Wherever the trade winds blow, one is likely to encounter a diverse and typically divergent set of theories, standards and norms guiding its propagation. Some might argue that this inherent inconsistency serves only to hinder a greater mainstream appreciation of the notion than currently exists (fair), but imagine if the entrepreneurial spirit which drives SE existed indistinguishably from place to place. Groupthink is, in the opinion of this writer, the biggest threat to SE’s continued development as the moment an authoritative entity gains enough traction, the entire sector falls under threat of being redefined according to fleeting or materialistic objectives. THIS is what happens to SE when we cede representation of our individuality to popular culture.

Nevertheless, although SE retains a measure of potency specifically because of its unique implementation in different localities, non-traditional means of “making one’s mark” across cultures can still pose a problem or three if unchecked. I guess this means we are yet to hit the win win stage in SE’s evolutionary journey, but taking the concept for what its worth – one for all n all for one – seems like a good first step.

Words.

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March 17, 2011

Life is Hard

By Petty

I’m pretty sure we’ve all said this at least once…….. “Life is Hard!”

I don’t know how to break this to you but…..life IS hard. I wish I could tell you that it’s not hard or that it will definitely get easier BUT …I’d be lying. In fact, when life feels like its drop kicking you, elbow slamming you and dragging you across the mud and you think to yourself, “Things cannot possibly get worse!” just then…in that moment of self-assurance that, this is as bad as it gets….BOOM !! it’ll get worse. If it hasn’t happened already….your day will come.

Now I’m not tryna bring you down (maybe just slap you with reality). Things can be such a downer, especially things you believe you have no control over…natural disasters, manmade disasters….Sorry WFP, I don’t have money to send you! What I want you to keep in mind thought is this, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” There’s always light at the end of the tunnel, a hole you can use to punch your way out or a place to go.

People set themselves up for a rough time by expecting that things will always be hunky dory! Maybe I come across as pessimistic but when things are good…. I’m concerned! I get shifty eyed coz it’s inevitable that things will ‘DECAY’ (pc language). But, I’m not too freaked out coz where there’s a will…there’s a WAY! William is a perfect example of this

….you rock William!

Check him out below

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March 14, 2011

Deconstructing the Social Enterprise Dilemma: Part 1

Over the coming weeks I’d like to spread the gospel according to the “triple bottom line”, which if you’re playing at home, asserts that people, the planet, and profit come together to form a symbiotic coalition of the willing acting for the good of all mankind. As it turns out, the “willing” are often misinformed on just how much is required from each of them in order to sustain this relationship so allow me to suggest an excellent HBR article on the fundamental issues concerning the topic.

It just so happens that Johannesburg has been chosen as the site of the 4th annual Social Enterprise World Forum so for those of us loitering around the UJ Auckland Park campus between the 5th and 7th of April, get off the sidelines and give your social consciousness a tune up! The discussions around enterprise development and social entrepreneurship haven’t been nearly as accessible as they could be, so how bout challenging all these so called big thinkers to simplify the message for the masses. Watch out for part two where we’ll try get a bit of a joust going with some of the powers that be in this field who’d have us believe that:

“Globally social enterprise has grown from sporadic innovation in isolated organisations to a recognised cutting-edge field with its own body of knowledge and best practices”.

Good luck with that. Word.

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March 11, 2011

Think Different

By ruth

There are so many things all around us that bring awe. Each little idea is a seed of potential that can explode into something big and wonderful. Inspiration is not something to be taken lightly. This video sums it up nicely. Doing it differently is what creates the biggest waves out there. Remember that each individual can make a difference, you don’t have to wait for someone else to do it for you.

Click on the link, as my blogging ineptitude gets in the way of me inserting the video here!

Think Different

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March 9, 2011

Lunch!

By ruth

Here at the enke offices we’ve been working very hard this week, hopefully to good effect. Elsewhere our fellow enke-ites have also been busy. A big shout out to Meghan Daniels, who managed to get Nikon to sponsor her community action project (CAP) this week. See our earlier blog to read more about the project. Congrats, Meghan!

In the spirit of photography (and lunch) I wanted to share two images that I find remarkable. We talk all the time about the impact humans have on our planet, about how we need to slow down, stop, take a look, and think long and hard about the levels of inequality we’re imposing on ourselves and on our earth. These photos appeared in this month’s National Geographic magazine, in a feature article entitled “Anthropocene: The Age of Man”. This is what farming in southern Spain now looks like. According to the article it takes 38% of the earth’s ice-free surface to feed our population; and we’re still growing…food for thought?
Untitled1

But then contrast that idea with this one. This is Mexico City. I’d be willing to bet that not all of these people get a slice of the produce grown in southern Spain these days. We have enough, and we can make enough. But we need to put some serious thought into the distribution of our resources and the energy we’re putting into making more. We should think about the fact that not everyone gets fed. There’s only one planet, and there’s billions of us. But we can make this work. It’s just a matter of slowing down and assessing what’s around us. How’s that for a lunch break?
Untitled2

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March 8, 2011

Reflecting on fortune

By Petty

As our convoy approached Zonkizizwe Primary School, we were welcomed by the sound of children’s voices, the sight of their bright smiles and an excitement that can only come from YOUNG, ENERGETIC and BOUNCY children! While in the car, the children’s sounds were muffled BUT, the moment we opened the car doors….it was like pure delight was circling in the air! Its kinda how I imagined the Coke inside a can feels like when the can is flicked open…or how it feels in that slow release as the top is twisted off the bottle? It simply was, ‘open happiness’.

When we actually stepped out of the car, each of us was escorted by two young pupils towards what sounded like party -beating drums, dancing feet and animated cheers. With a tiny hand to my left and to my right, I was led by two pupils, along with the other enke team members and the Nedbank representatives to where Lapdesk was helping improve primary school education for South Africa’s future leaders. I expected that the parents and teachers would be excited for the children when we arrived but I was overwhelmed by how the kids themselves were enthusiastic! Many were quite visibly struggling to contain themselves as they looked at the 350 Nedbank sponsored Lapdesks that were strategically placed around them in the courtyard. Along with the, “Nedbank, makes things happen” cheers, the children also cheered, ‘this desk is MINE! I will use it every day’. It was important that the kids feel a sense of ownership over their Lapdesk’s, not only as their property but as a means to further their education and solidify their future.

It was amazing to see not only the palpable enjoyment of the Lapdesk MC, Sam, as he managed the crowd of hundreds of excited children but also the joy that this whole event brought to everyone present. It’s not often that one gets to witness the life of a child change for the better, their future or even their sense of worth enriched in an instant. Both the Lapdesk Company and Nedbank undoubtedly made their mark on the children of Zonkizizwe Primary school, the teachers, parents and the community of Alberton. We as the enke team reflected on our own fortune and were inspired to remain resilient and passionate about equipping the future leaders of South Africa.

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March 2, 2011

Great minds think differently

By ruth

On Friday the enke team piled out of the office and into the car and headed out to Eldorado Park in Soweto. It was an early start; all team members were on the road by 6.30 a.m. Bleary eyed and under-caffeinated, we weaved through morning traffic, arriving on location at PUSH community centre. PUSH, which stands for Perseverance Until Something Happens, hosted our event with Emzingo. The PUSH mission is a really great one: a community centre that provides HIV/AIDS support, testing, and education, the impact can be seen on the faces of the children who head over to PUSH after school (www.push.org.za). The organisation offered us their facilities, and so it was that we pulled up in front of the brightly coloured building. Emzingo arrived shortly thereafter. The group is comprised of 13 multinational members, all enrolled in the MBA programme at Instituto de Empresa Business School. Emzingo is a global leadership programme that emphasises sustainable development and global networking. Find out more and check out their website www.emzingo.com!

Any lingering tiredness evaporated (and we hadn’t even had our coffee yet) as the IE students arrived. They were from all corners of the globe. We began with a topsy-turvy discussion: what would happen if men, not women, had babies? That’s a question that’s got to be right up there with “was Coca Cola really green?” and “is that a banana in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”

We then broke for tea and coffee (cue mad dash for the kitchen) and sipped away under the warm late morning sun. Our next activity was “appreciative inquiry” – don’t worry, I didn’t know what that was either, but it is cool. 4 people host conversations on related topics. The rest of the group joins whichever conversation interests them and leaves when they feel they’ve had enough. The idea is that knowledge is germinated by being spread between groups. I stayed put with my conversation group for the duration of the activity; the ideas being thrown around centred on the advent of technology and the implications of our tech-craziness on development. Have you ever stopped to think about that? We’re creating technology so fast that we’re educating people in our universities for jobs that don’t even exist yet. It blows my mind. If you can get access to any information on your phone, then there is a whole world of opportunity out there. We’re talking doctors doing surgeries thousands of kilometres away via webcams and particle realignment to facilitate faster travel. Ok, so that’s a bit scary. If some guy is cutting me open, I want him in the room at the very least. The best part is the implications for global politics and networking. The situation in the Middle East at the moment is a perfect example. Simply by using the internet and handheld devices (like phones or laptops) people all over the world can get together and take control of their futures. There’s no need for a rallying point anymore, anyone can do it at anytime! The potential is endless and it’s an amazing time to be around!!

Anyways……we were then joined by the guys from Condom Case. These two guys have this innovative idea that we can work to stop the spread of HIV simply by storing condoms correctly. They’ve come up with and are manufacturing a case, called the Mojo Box, to store contraceptives in and take around with you. After a brief presentation, Condom Case opened the floor to suggestions from the IE students about how to diversify their funding streams. The guys returned to their office with a plethora of new ideas from the finely tuned business minds of Emzingo/IE.

Lunch was next. We grabbed our plates and headed back outside into the afternoon. The PUSH kids were arriving in the playground from school and quickly started up a catchy sing-a-long game in which various enke delegates and IE students took enthusiastic part. Photos were snapped and hips were swung (there are some pretty sweet dance moves out there), before we returned in doors to continue the event.

The remainder of the afternoon was focused on the enke delegate projects. The projects are amazing and quite literally astounded everyone. It was a unique situation where people from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, religions, and races spoke to each other and really enjoyed each others’ company.

Back on the road again, we all revelled in the success and happiness of the day. Truly a wonderful experience for all of us.

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March 1, 2011

Distractions of the Noble Kind

My, how the seasons come and go. Three “dictatorships” in a little under three months with three more seemingly on the way. It’s kinda distressing the lengths people will go to retain or usurp power. Evidently North Africa and the Middle East decided that: Michael Jackson passing away, the story of global warming, recession & recovery, soccer/rugby/cricket world cups, civil servant strikes and of course Justin Bieber were totally uninspired issues to deal with. So hey! Kick 2011 off with a bang n ruffle a few feathers, why not?

In all seriousness though, the enke team sympathises with the people directly affected by these uprisings. There generally aren’t nearly enough people willing to make drastic sacrifices in their own lives to better the plights of others. We just sit back in front of our 3D-HD TVs (doesn’t everyone have one by now?) crank the volume up to max and watch as history is made in unprecedented fashion on the back of social media. Shame on all our Blackberry toting, ipad using, Gaga hating and McDonalds munching derrières.

But hang on – there are people making the right kind of difference as we speak. A select group of incredible young South Africans who have literally put the welfare of their communities before that of themselves. Collectively they are known as enke delegates (yes we’re taking all the credit), but how’s this for individual achievement:

Albert Dove, “Forte High, Johannesburg” is heading up an empowerment campaign that actually targets underachievers. Through his project, it isn’t just the straight ‘A’ students earning scholarships to Uni’s, gaining access to internships, or securing enterprise development/social entrepreneurship funding to “make it out the hood”. There are a million and one ways to improve your socio economic environment and, so help me, Albert knows about half of them!

Paige Jenje, “St Stithians, Johannesburg” is setting up a large-scale recycling project in Alexandra using a number of the established schools to drive the initiative throughout the rest of the community. The beauty of this is that the majority of the projected income will filter back directly into the community through the schools themselves. This is expected to drastically improve the learning and living conditions of thousands of underprivileged kids.

Meghan Daniels, “Wynberg High, Cape Town” is training a select group of young people from a school in khayelitsha on the marvels of photography. She’s shown an incredible passion for giving people the opportunity to express their backgrounds and environment through visual media. She aims to sustain this project by hosting an art exhibition as well as selling products through a variety of mediums such as personalised merchandise and print media. In her own words, this comes down to “returning the voice of the youth through photography”.

All this and much, much more at age 17, like seriously. I challenge you to look the next person you see in the eye and genuinely tell them you’ve made a positive difference in the lives of others. Or don’t, you know, whatever. But how about we pack the Playstation away for a little bit, accept that BBM isn’t going to be any freer, if you cut down on time spent txtn & twtn (unless we’re inspiring revolutionary change of course), and KFC will definitely survive if you cut down to strictly weekends (your jeans will thank me for that).

So here’s the call: lets all get proactive, let’s all be provocative, and let’s all try live more collaboratively. Let’s give a little more than we throw away, or better yet don’t throw away at all. Trust yourself to be a symbol of, or at least an agent for change. Go on people; make your mark.

Laughing all the way home

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January 31, 2011

Don’t be afraid to get wet

Five years ago in The New York Times Magazine, the philosopher Peter Singer wrote the the compelling timeless piece titled “What Should a Billionaire Give – and What Should You?” In this article Singer posed the haunting hypothetical question: If you were to pass by a pond in which a child was drowning, would you feel compelled to save the child, even if it meant getting your clothes wet or being late to wherever you were headed?

Enke alumni will remember this scenario posed to them in their various teams. The argument is simple, if you feel an obligation to save a child when the cost to ourselves is minimal inconvenience, we ought to feel the same obligation to save a child who is dying ten miles, a thousand miles, or 5000 miles from our home.
As Singer points out in his article, sixteen thousand children around the world die every day from diseases related to hunger. Ten million people a year die from poverty related causes. More than a billion of our fellow human beings subsist on the equivalent of less than $1 a day.

We are fortunate not to be amongst these 10 million, but is this purely of our own doing? Sure people worked hard in school, did our research, planned for the future etc. but how much of all this was facilitated by the families, the countries, and even the time period we were born into, all which we had no part in deciding? Where we are is hardly just a function of our intrinsic skill and talent or hard work.
As Singer quoted Warren Buffet, the most successful investor of our time: “If you stick me down in the middle of Bangladesh or Peru, you’ll find out how much this talent is going to produce in the wrong kind of soil.”

The purpose of Singer’s piece wasn’t to spur pointless guilt, it is to inspire action. All it takes is dedicating some of your income or those who don’t believe in aid can volunteer their human resource towards sustainable programs. You can make a difference. There are thousands of children drowning every single day – and we should all feel compelled to jump in.

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January 28, 2011

Getting things done

As first introduced in Making Excellence a Habit and reiterated in Coming of Age is the importance of effective time management resulting in diligent self application and efficient achievement of the day to day tasks we need to get done.

Why is this important?

According to Tony Shwartz of the Harvard Business Review Blog; finding an excuse to avoid hard work isn’t difficult to do – thus we spend a lot of our ‘work time’ responding to emails, making lists, answering calls and cleaning up our work area. In the process of trying to compensate for lost time, many of us unwittingly train ourselves to ignore signals from our body that we need a rest — difficulty concentrating, physical restlessness, irritability. Instead, we find ways to override this need with caffeine, sugar, and our own stress hormones — adrenalin, noradrenalin, and cortisol — all of which provide short bursts of energy but leave us overaroused.

The author advises that workdays should be organised by around focusing for 90 minutes, uninterrupted, on the task pre-decided to be the most important. After 90 minutes, take a break.

Why 90 minutes? Research suggests that this is the optimal human limit for focusing intensely on any given task (See page 51).

The next day’s work should be decided on the night before so as not to squander energy thinking about what to do during the time set aside to actually do the work.

The author defines “important” as whatever it is I believe will add the most enduring the value if it is accomplished. This often means what is “important but not urgent,” as these are precisely the activities we most often put off — in favor of those that are more urgent.

This structured workday should result in getting more work done during those 90 minutes also resulting in a sense of satisfaction from that output comparable period of time the rest of the day. Over the course of 90 minutes, especially when we’re maximally focused, we move from a relatively high state of energy down into a physiological trough

Try it out and let us know how this works for you!

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January 26, 2011

Of Sticks and Stones, Leadership and Accountability

Being a Management student – I’ve had to define Leadership approximately 164,566.311 times so far in my academic career, and I’m pretty sure that’s not the end of it.

I completely understand why this is so, because the topic of Leadership is so important – What is Leadership? Are Leaders born or made? What makes a good Leader? These basic questions are worthy of discussion and debate not just for Management undergraduate students but for everyone. To illustrate this and briefly delve into Leadership and Accountability, I’d like to focus on the shooting in Tucson, Arizona that occurred on 8th January 2011 – where Jared Loughner shot twenty people outside a grocery store, of whom six died.

An argument is brewing that this mass shooting was partially caused by an anti-government atmosphere created by some of the more outspoken members of the American Tea Party movement.

In “The Tea Party and the Tucson Tragedy,” Slate.com’s Jacob Weisberg argues that Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck share a bit of culpability and blame with the shooter – Jared Loughner. These politicians like to titillate their audiences with hints of justified violence, including frequent reminders that they are armed and dangerous. With Palin going so far as to put a target – yes actually put a crosshair gun sight target – on certain people. Since then these targeted politicians have received death threats, their offices, homes and the homes of their family members have been vandalized. They have had to beef up security measures for themselves and those who are close to them. With all this building up to, yes – the mass shooting.

Being in Kenya during the 2007 post election violence, such inflammatory language about tyranny, betrayal, taking back the country and its capacity to result in violence sounds all too familiar. The question remains, who is to blame?

According to verysmartbrothas.com “though yes – inflammatory words create inflammatory environments—I can’t fully get behind the idea that, while they’re definitely antagonistic people, the Palins and Becks of the world should be held even partially accountable for the actions of an unquestionably deranged man. If so, then every rapper who’s ever uttered the word “gun” should be held accountable for every inner-city murder, and everyone who’s ever produced, starred in, or directed a romantic comedy should be forced to pay the fees for any American’s divorce.”

When it’s all said and done, the politicians we have today are intelligent enough to know exactly how influential charged words and impassioned rhetoric can be and understand the political climate in which these words are received. Few of them, especially in Africa – show any genuine sign of the realization or acceptance of the power of their words and the consequences of their word’s effect on others.

I can’t help but think; where is the line? When does free speech become hate speech? When does irresponsible become illegal?

I guess my education on Leadership isn’t quite finished yet.

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January 19, 2011

Coming of Age

Many of our 2010 enke forum alumni are heading to various universities around the world this year. Being the first time away from the nest and away from the comfort of lifelong established routines for many – this sense of independence makes it a great time for self discovery.

But how can you make sure that you make the best of your time there and experience it to the fullest?
To help you with this, I attempt a rough and by no means complete guide to varsity life.

1. Diligence
Unlike high school, a lot of the varsity assignments and essays tend to be long term and self monitored until the final submission stage. This means that ‘intelligence’, ‘smarts’ and other things that high achievement is often attributed to, will count less than effective time management, planning and diligence – the earnest and persistent application of oneself to a task – in everything that you do.

2. Get Involved
A wide variety of extra-curricular activities are available to varsity students; examples of these whether enterprise oriented such as Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), charity oriented i.e. Reach out And Give (RAG) ranging all the way to sports teams, to forums such as enke, to student employment opportunities that are specifically designed to be student run.

Involvement in such activities provides a spectrum of advantages apart from occupying your time positively;
- Provides hands on application experience during the recruitment phase that will come in handy when entering the job market such as C.V. drafting and interviewing.

- These really boost your C.V and show qualities such as achievement orientation, a well rounded individual, and ability to communicate and work effectively in a team environment that employers are looking for.

3. Long Term Orientation
Unlike majority of high school where forethought can be often limited to tomorrow’s homework, next week’s quiz, and eventually Matric.

Questions such as
- Do I want to do my Honours?
- What do I want to specialize in?
- What country/firm/industry do I see myself working in?
- How employable am I?
- How can I make myself an asset to future employers?

Are how the right foundation is laid – and the answers to these questions should guide many of the decisions you make such as unit/module choices, networks made with friends, organisations, teachers and peers, the extra – curricular activities you choose get involved in and the grades you target and work for.

4. Balance
Though they will ~~always~~ often spill into each other – the harmony between school, work, travel, extra-curricular and getting to meet and spend time with new interesting people is what makes university life what it is.

Feel free to add in what I missed or add to what I’ve managed to come up with.

All in all; the common phrase – that university was/is/will be the best time of your life – is not an exaggeration. So make sure to savour every moment 

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January 17, 2011

The Paradox of Our Age

A one sided and unforgiving portrait of humanity I came across, by Dr. Bob Moorehead a minister and author. This appeared in ‘Words Aptly Spoken,’ a collection of prayers, homilies, and monologues used in his sermons and radio broadcasts.

“The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; big men and small character; steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce; fancier houses but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.”

Fifteen years after this was published – how accurately has Dr. Moorehead described our world today? Looking forward to your feedback and discussion.

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January 14, 2011

Reflections for the coming year

The start of a new year is a time filled with combined retrospect and great plans and expectations for the future. In this spirit, a couple of weeks into the new year – a blog I frequent blog.bravenewtalent.com published what it titled its Reflections of the Decade.

Here are some I thought were pretty interesting and decided to share.

According to bravenewtalent.com

“Live on the right side of change - think about how this paradigm shift is effecting what you do. If you are a writer, what is the future of publishing? If you are a musician, what is the future of music consumption? If you are an engineer, what is the future of the energy industry? Look for the writing on the wall in what you do and stay one step ahead.

The world is interdependent – this generation needs to be a generation of leaders. We are inheriting more global problems than any generation before us. We live in a world of challenges such as climate change, population growth, poverty, HIV/aids, nuclear proliferation, desertification, food/water security, terrorism, etc. All these issues are interdependent in that the solution does not lie with one country or one business. Every problem is like a bowl of spaghetti. You move one piece and it has an impact on every other

The best leaders are great followers – timing is everything. Sometimes we need to lead and sometimes follow. The greatest leaders are those that strive to lead by example. Everyone can be a leader in their own way. It’s not how good you are but how good you want to be that gets you places.

The Girl Effect – the utilitarian philanthropist should always invest in adolescent girls in the developing world. The greatest bang for buck an investment can have is investing in the education of a teenage girl in poverty. This frees them from their cycle of poverty. (Video Here) .

Talent has no Age, Talent has no Gender, Talent has no Passport – Opportunity has all three. As we aim for a more meritocratic (advancement purely by achievement) world we have many societal challenges to overcome. The best leveller is education. ”

Let us know what you agree with and what you don’t i.e. Is it fair to only invest in adolescent girls in the developing world? Are the world’s independent governments and supervisory bodies well positioned to meet the challenge of interdependent global problems? – And of course share with us your own tid bits of wisdom we can too adopt.

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January 10, 2011

Shouldn’t you be at the other prom?

Today I watched a 2009 documentary by the name ‘Prom night in Mississippi’ (Trailer) about a graduating senior class in American high school’s effort to have one prom. Traditionally the school had always had two proms; one for the white students, and another for the black.

With more research, I found that more recently in another town in Mississippi a prom was cancelled when one student attempted to bring a same sex date.

While not obsessed with proms and the rules governing them – this made me curious about other forms of institutionalized racism or any form of discrimination facing young people growing up in South Africa – and ways that our enke alumni equipped with determination and leadership skills, feel that this should be dealt with.

Looking forward to your insights and suggestions.

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January 3, 2011

Delegates Views – People To People Trip 2010

In June of this year I attended the People to People leadership Summit in New York City and Washington DC. This summit brought together young leaders from across the world from over 92 countries in 6 continents. During this trip I met several world leaders, business people, academics, politicians and even some celebrities, making me realize that the world is in need of young leaders, and that the youth of today are indeed the future of tomorrow.

When I arrived at JFK airport I was met by several large security guards, who were searching our plane, not because there was a bomb threat, but because a young lady had lost her earring. Yes, I too was surprised to see how helpful Americans were! After all I had heard about how rude they are meant to be, I was pleasantly surprised. I was met by Chris, who was holding a billboard with my name on it. JARROD DELPORT: SOUTH AFRICA. I already felt like an Ambassador.

When I arrived at our destination, Columbia University in New York City, in Brooklyn borough, I was taken on a grand tour where I met my peers from across the world. On our first night, we were introduced to the former Prime Minister of Iraq who would be our guest speaker. Muhammed Al-Byati spoke about how he believed the world could change once we adopted a peaceful attitude towards religion and political beliefs. After staying up until 2am to finish my People to People Homework I finally fell asleep, hoping that everything was not a dream.

Over the next few days, we went on tours of New York City, watched Mamma Mia on Broadway, and met more interesting people including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Audrina Partridge, Jack Black, NBA Basketball players and the man that wrote Highly Effective Habits for Teens. Of course, true to my form I ate and ate and ate and ate. The food in the USA is beyond explanation! On my last day in New York I met the UN Secretary-General Ban KI-Moon and addressed the United Nations General Assembly.

I was happy to leave New York behind, filled with memories and move on to the political capital of the world –Washington DC. On our bus ride to DC (which was 7 hours) we visited even more of America then I had expected. We visited the Baltimore Aquarium in Maryland, then through the states of Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania and the city of brotherly Love – Philadelphia where I saw the Declaration of Independence. Washington DC is nothing like any other city in the world. You can feel the politics in that country and you can ALSO feel the heat, the temperature while I was there was 41 degrees on some days and humidity was at 70%.

We were to continue the programs we started in New York in which we were each assigned a country that we would have to represent. I was given Israel and had to negotiate a treaty between my country and Iran. Soon after my treaty was signed, I was whisked away to lunch at the White House -yes the White House…..where I met (wait for it) President Barack Obama and we sat down to discuss the Treaty as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup with 6 other student Ambassadors!

A few days after that, we were entertained by the Saudi Arabian Embassy where we had dinner with the Saudi Ambassador to the USA, we were treated with amazing Saudi Food and I was very tempted to jump on the first plane to Jeddah, the nations capital.

We had our final debate on our treaties where I was allowed to address the Junior United Nations one last time. I spoke about a new dawning of political dreams and a period of peace will follow once the people of the world remember that we share a common bond. After signing the treaty on behalf of Israel and South Africa, it was time for our farewell cruise on the Potomac River. As I was dancing to Waka Waka this Time for Africa, the Presidents Helicopter went over our ship, a gesture showing that my time in the United States was drawing to a close. On my final day, I bid a sad farewell to my new friends and boarded my plane at Dulles International in Washington. As I was taking off, I thought to myself “America, the land of the brave and home of the Starbucks” really was the greatest country in the world… next to South Africa of course.

Learning from my experiences at enke 2009, I learnt that its possible to cross bridges, the bridges of language, race and religion. Make your Mark, was the motto from enke and I believe that I am gradually doing just that. This trip to America was inspired by my time at enke. I made my mark, and I hope that it can be a mark that others wish to follow and build on.

Jarrod Delport
enke delegate 2009

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December 29, 2010

Delegates View – HELL YEAH!

Umuzi? HELL YEAH!

Chisa nyama (roasted meat), chicken running about, vibrant colours, friendly people, and most importantly, cameras. Nyanga township was rocking on the 10 December when I was both privileged and honoured to spend time with the Umuzi Photo Club.

School broke up on Friday 10 December and I ran home frantically filled with excitement for the long awaited December holidays. But then, something extra ordinary happened. No, I did not win 1 million dollars, meet Oprah Winfrey or develop super powers; I just received a phone call. The person who had contacted me was Phillipa (a.k.a Pip)! She was in Cape Town and asked if I would like to spend some time with the Umuzi Photo Club who were currently working on a pilot project at Etafeni Day Care Centre in Nyanga township.

For those of you who do not know, Nyanga, meaning moon, is poverty-stricken illustration of Cape Town’s urban sprawl. It is one of the oldest and largest townships and lies about 26 kilometers from Cape Town’s city centre. Without any hesitation I said yes and could not wait for Pip to show up! I had been to Nyanga Township before working with with CHOSA (Children of South Africa), a non profit organization, so I was very excited to go back to the place that I loved so dearly.

Umuzi’s goal for this pilot workshop is to identify and bring to light some of the social tragedies that unfold in Nyanga through the medium of photography. I was extremely interested to see how the workshop would run in order to gather some useful tips and advice that would ultimately help me in starting my own Community Action Project (CAP) that revolves around photography.

Upon arrival, I met Andrew, who provides both visual and written commentary from the workshops in what is called “Letters from the Mother City”, the Abasizis (volunteer ‘helpers’) and ofcourse the Umuzi learners themselves. They were all busy choosing their best photographs that fitted into various categories such as colour, line, rule of thirds and a happy photo. It was absolutely fascinating to see such young learners take such beautiful photographs of their authentic surroundings and environments. The elated atmosphere in the room was contagious and the sense of unity between the learners and Abasizis was mesmerizing. The next task for the day was to go out into the township and start taking pictures, but, before this could take place, we all needed a brief outline about what to take pictures of.

The theme of the day’s photo shoot was “story.” Because Cape Town is extremely beautiful, diverse and contains an intricate and complex political history – stories within Nyanga are plentiful. Andrew taught us how to create a photographic story by using establishing, medium and detailed shots. The next challenge was to practically apply these tips by setting off into the buzzing township. Wow…it certainly is extremely difficult trying to choose a story when there are thousands of ideas and scenes to choose from! With our cameras in hand, we all frantically started capturing moments that surrounded us. Stories varied from local women cooking chisa nyama, hygiene, washing lines, hairdressers and even the slaughtering of chickens. I found it both enthralling and slightly disturbing to see a chicken walking around without its head. I also could not help but to laugh when township civilians chuckled and said, “Hello umlungu!” Umlungu means whitey…a nickname that I had become accustomed to at the block of flats that I used to live in.

I managed to finish an entire roll of film duing my township excursion – still so much that I wanted to take pictures of! Everything I was not able to photographically capture will be forever stored in my mind and heart. When the Umuzi learners, Abasizis and I returned to Etafeni day care centre we were all extremely exhausted due to a long but entertaining photography mission. We had all managed to capture our stories and had the task of writing a story about the photographs for the following day. After singing happy birthday to Andrew, sharing our stories with one another and shouting “HELL YEAH!” every time “Umuzi” was mentioned – that was it. I did not want to go back home but sadly all good things have to come to an end.

Spending the day with the Umuzi Photo club was an experience that I will honestly cherish forever. I have learnt umpteen tips about how a photography workshop is run and have already started brainstorming more ideas for my own project. I was inspired, Umuzi ignited my fire to make a difference in my community even further and thanks to them I now feel that anything is possible. They are ready to explore photography as a tool for raising social awareness and effecting positive change in their developing communities. The Umuzi Photo Club is super colossal in inspiring the youth to make a difference in their lives and their community’s lives by using something as simple but as powerful as a camera and I admire their ability to do so.

After this, my CAP can only grow. Two weeks ago I was told about an orphanage in Greyton in Cape Town whose funds have completely dried up. With the help of friends at school, we managed to raise over 100 Christmas presents for the children. I was also told that a girl at the orphanage went missing and they could not retrace her due to the lack of identity photographs that the children have. My first project is to therefore take identity photographs all of the children during these December holidays. It is a start to my photography project that I am passionate about starting and I hope to someday teach children photography just like the Umuzi Photo Club does.

As I type this, I feel inspired beyond belief. My desire to make a positive difference in my community burns brighter each and every day. I am not going to let any obstacle get in my way of starting my project and I cannot wait for what the future has to offer!

Meghan Daniels

enke delegate 2010

Posted in Delegate's View | 3 Comments

December 24, 2010

Guest Post – The Onus Is Upon Us