Ex-offender empowers youth through skills development at Vuka Juvenile NPO
Nhlanhla Nkosi, once imprisoned for hijacking, now mentors young boys and supports recovering addicts, teaching them vocational skills and life lessons to steer them away from crime.
An ex-offender, Nhlanhla Nkosi (52), through his newly established Vuka Juvenile NPO, is imparting vocational skills to young boys to prevent them from falling into a life of crime.
Nkosi, who was sentenced to 22 years imprisonment at Boksburg Correctional Services facility in 2002 for hijacking and who was later released on parole in 2014, in an exclusive interview with Kathorus Mail on September 19, mentioned that after he was released from prison, he focused on transforming his life and leaving behind the life.
He said he established a skills development centre where he was previously residing in Credi Section, Katlehong, and unfortunately, it was ravaged by fire several times before moving to Magagula Heights, where he formed the Vuka Juvenile NPO, which focuses on imparting vocational skills to young boys.
He also shared that through his Vuka Juvenile NPO, he is helping drug addicts by linking them with rehabilitation centres.
“Through my own experience of being involved in criminal activities that led me to prison, I’m ensuring that young people don’t follow in my footsteps and end up in prison one day.
“I have established my own NPO wherein I’m imparting vocational skills to young boys. I keep them away from idling on street corners through my skills development programme. Every week, when the young boys have completed their schoolwork, they come to my centre, where I equip them with upholstery and woodwork skills,” said Nkosi.
He said he has started with upholstery and woodwork, but he wants to add more vocational skills to his programme, but lacks the essential equipment.
“I want to add bricklaying, boiler-making, and sewing, but I lack the necessary equipment. Currently, I’m doing all these things at my own place, which I have turned into a centre, but I need a place and equipment.
“These are not the only things I do. I also go to different schools around Kathorus to do motivational talks. I’m also fighting the scourge of drugs in my area, and I’m appealing to good Samaritans to assist with donations of equipment for bricklaying, boiler-making, woodwork, sewing, and upholstery,” Nkosi appealed.
An apprentice at the skills development programme of Vuka Juvenile NPO, Thandolwethu Jejane (19), said he learned a lot from being part of the programme.
“I have learned how to create different things and repair them through the programme. Our mentor, Nkosi, is making sure that we are always busy with progressive things, and we don’t find ourselves roaming around in the township and being involved in things that can mess up our lives.
“I enjoy being part of the programme, because I’m learning how to create chairs, sofas and tables using different materials,” shared Jejane.
A recovering addict, Sizwe Mokoena (24), said he was helped by Nkosi to quit drugs.
“I was heavily smoking crystal meth and stealing from my family until Nkosi took me under his wing and assisted me in finding a suitable rehabilitation centre. I went to the rehabilitation centre last year on January 25.
“I stayed in the rehabilitation centre up until March 11. Ever since that time, I have been clean and I’m even working, all thanks to Nkosi.”
He added that he is slowly winning his family’s trust again.
“It’s difficult for my family to trust me, but I’m trying by all means to show them that I have changed. When I was still smoking drugs, I did a lot of bad things to my loved ones, but I hope that with time, they will forgive and trust me again.
“My family members still have doubts that I’m a changed person,” shared Mokoena.
Siyabonga Khoza (25) said he used to commit GBV, but that changed after Nkosi talked him out of the behaviour and informed him about the consequences of committing GBV.
“Nkosi openly told me that I would end up in prison if I didn’t stop beating up my girlfriends. I used to beat up my girlfriends whenever I found them cheating, but lately I’m no longer doing it.
“When I find my girlfriend cheating, I let her be, and I move on with my life,” Khoza stated
