Afrika Tikkun’s Wings of Life Centre empowers Diepsloot youth from cradle to career
A special programme in Diepsloot is helping young people gain skills, confidence, and business thinking from a young age right to when they look for work.
At Afrika Tikkun’s Wings of Life Centre in Diepsloot, young people are learning that their future is not defined by their circumstances.
The centre is a multi-purpose community hub, providing underprivileged youth with comprehensive, continuous support from early childhood through to job placement, through the cradle to career programme.
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They hosted media on June 10 as part of youth month, giving a closer look at how the cradle to career model is helping young people build better futures.
Afrika Tikkun Group CEO Marc Lubner said the solution to unemployment does not begin when young people start looking for jobs, but much earlier in life. “Our job is to help young individuals be themselves and realise their potential. We teach them not to wait for an opportunity, but rather to create one for themselves.”
During the tour, guests were taken through classrooms, computer labs, and youth development spaces, where children and young adults are supported at every stage of their growth. From early childhood development to career guidance, the programme focuses on building confidence, skills, and independence.
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Lubner emphasised that young people need more than just education; they need guidance and belief.
“One of the key lessons I want to share is the importance of practical skills. Young people are taught how to use technology, think creatively, and even explore business ideas.
“Some are already identifying problems in their communities and finding ways to solve them, showing that opportunity can be created, not just waited for.”
At the heart of the programme is a value known as responsible kindness. According to Lubner kindness must go hand in hand with responsibility, by helping young people become self-reliant instead of dependent.
“We wake up with a mindset that we have to be kind to one another. From our youngest kids, we teach them responsibility.
They know how to make their beds and take care of themselves. On our walls, we have posters of what we call magic words: Please, thank you, may I, and sorry.”
Despite funding challenges, Afrika Tikkun continues to uplift communities across the country. Lubner believes that real change begins with investing in young people and giving them the chance to succeed.
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