Muti-Space’s youth month event aims to empower Alex youth
The Multi-Space Foundation has plans to end the days of Alexandra youth wallowing in misery because of the high unemployment rate.
The Muti-Space Foundation hosted a youth month event, sponsored by the Nation Youth Development Agency (NYDA). The event, held at Alexandra Museum on June 28, was intended to empower young people to meaningfully participate in the economy.
Event director Kenny Hlaise acknowledged the challenges that young people are grappling with in Alexandra. While he acknowledged the significance of youth month, and the contribution of the youth of 1976, he said young people are still facing challenges posed by South Africa’s sluggish economic growth, coupled with the drastic impact of Covid-19, which left many young people from poor backgrounds even more disadvantaged.
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“1976 was about going to the streets and boycotting Afrikaans. Under the new democracy, things have changed. The only thing that we must focus on is empowering youth with skills, especially because of unemployment. The rate of youth unemployment is over 60% [for those aged 15–24]. The only thing we need to do is give them the programmes that empower them to start their own businesses.”
He said they do not have to sit and worry about the unemployment rate, because there are various avenues through which young people can empower themselves and generate an income. “That is why we are bringing [these events] to townships, so that they can get information, rather than just sitting in the corners doing drugs and drinking alcohol.”
The core message delivered by Hlaise was that young people need to start businesses, because the NYDA is available to give them all the support they need to succeed.
There are young people who are already a step ahead, running their own informal businesses. Hlaise explained that one of the challenges that these young informal traders are facing is lack of funding, mainly because most of their businesses are not registered and are not eligible for funding. This event served as a platform where they could get information about registering their businesses and getting funding.
In conclusion, Hlaise emphasised that youth empowerment is the responsibility of the community. As somebody who grew up in Alex himself, he said he felt that he had to give back to the community by bringing these opportunities to young people.
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