ERMELO – Members of the Vuka Youth Talent Organisation have only one aim, which is being the face of young artistic minds in Ext 2.

The organisation was established in 2014 by poet and radio host, Mlungisi Ngobeni who had a goal of keeping young people with an interest in art away from the streets.

Ngobeni was later joined by Phindile Ngobeni, Zanele Khubeka, Minenhle Maseko and Mxolisi Madonsela as members of the group.

According to Ngobeni, the group has faced various challenges since it was founded, including that of not having a venue for rehearsals.

However, they did not give up on their love of art, they used Ngobeni’s backroom as a rehearsal studio and lured more young people from the neighbourhood to join them.

They specialise in various artistic performances, including dance, choir music, drama, poetry and beauty contests.

“For us, art is life. We always felt like this even growing up because even after school we couldn’t to wait to go for rehearsals and do what we love,” Ngobeni said.-

He added their group describes art as anything that can keep young people in a safe space and away from doing wrong things while allowing them to express themselves creatively.

In his new poem album titled Letter To My Funeral, Ngobeni was motivated to write about how young people are faced with mental illness which may lead to suicide and how their background and social issues they face may be contributing factors as a result of his experience in the group.

“Some of us in the group are faced with serious mental battles that we cannot even talk about, but we push through to enhance our artistic abilities because we believe that art is the flower among all the thorns we face in our lives.”

Read complete article in Highvelder newspaper.