Beyond the Valley Ministrations holds annual youth empowerment seminar

Beyond the Valley Ministrations hosted its annual youth empowerment seminar on January 31 at Dominion Life Cathedral International, with the aim of equipping and empowering young people as they prepare to return to school or varsity, as well as those who have recently received their matric results and are uncertain about their next steps.

The seminar also targeted learners who are still in school, along with their parents and guardians, creating space for important conversations at the start of the year and an opportunity to pray for participants’ journeys.

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This year, Beyond the Valley Ministrations extended an invitation to Tshepang Care Centre in Vusimuzi, which the organisation has adopted.

The centre’s youth were included so they could benefit from the same messages usually shared with young people from Birch Acres and surrounding areas during the annual seminar.

“We are a faith-based organisation and believe strongly in the power of prayer,” said Beyond the Valley Ministrations president Dineo Felane.

“We believe that if young people go out into the world grounded in prayer, they will know they are not alone and will be encouraged to think more clearly about their decisions and surroundings.

“At the same time, we do not encourage spiritual bypassing. That is why we also teach practical steps young people can take, in partnership with God, for the betterment of their lives.”

Topics addressed during the seminar included fears faced by young people today, such as employability in the age of artificial intelligence, decision-making at the start of adulthood, the influence of social media, and the importance of choosing the right friends.

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One of the speakers was former convict Delisa Bhembe, who shared his journey of turning his life around and becoming an entrepreneur.

Introduced by Norkem Park SAPS, Bhembe spoke candidly about how poor choices and negative influences led to his arrest and imprisonment, and warned that prison life is not something to be desired.

Norkem Park SAPS communication officer Sergeant Portia Mkhondo addressed the audience on crime prevention, while mental health specialist Sheila Khaba spoke about mental health challenges faced by young people and how to overcome them.

Life coach Simply Sicelo focused on the importance of goal-setting, follow-through, and understanding how decisions made at a young age can have long-term consequences, particularly when applying for jobs using CVs and matric statements.

“This reminded the young people that God loves them and cares about their futures and what they are going through,” Felane added.

“Some issues are as spiritual as they are physical, if not more so, and the prayer aspect addressed those as well.”

Brothers Shadrack and Mbuso Mokoroane, who recently shared their story on the Fixing Marriages podcast about growing up without a father, also addressed the seminar, offering words of encouragement to the youth in attendance.

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The programme concluded with a question-and-answer session between the speakers and the audience.

Felane, who is also a chaplain, closed the seminar with prayer, speaking words of encouragement over the young people and reminding them of their identity and worth, with the aim of empowering them to move forward with confidence.

Felane said she hoped the seminar would inspire young people to believe in themselves, prepare more effectively for their futures and begin planning earlier and more intentionally using the tools they had received.

Beyond the Valley Ministrations also hosts ongoing programmes throughout the year, including Girl’s Corner for young girls and women, which covers topics such as education, women’s health, relationship readiness and self-love.

A similar programme for boys and young men, called Entabeni, creates a space where older men mentor younger ones, particularly at a time when the boy child can feel overlooked.

“The world is changing, and success demands more attention in the real world than on social media,” Felane said.

“You owe it to yourself to pay attention to the truth and adjust your course accordingly. The good news is that you do not have to do it alone.”