My name is Ntando Miya. I am a learner, actor and musician, and I have lived in Thembisa all my life.

This place raised me. Every street, every corner and every voice here is part of who I am. Thembisa is not just where I live; it is the reason I dream big.

My favourite memory of growing up here is performing at school.

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The lights were on, the hall was full, and I could hear people clapping and laughing. In that moment, I realised that acting was more than just something I enjoyed — it was a way for me to communicate with people.

I want to make people feel something, even if it is just helping them forget their problems for a few minutes. That is what I want to continue doing.

What I love most about Thembisa is the community’s heart. We may not always have a lot, but we have each other.

When someone is struggling, people show up. When someone succeeds, the whole street celebrates.

There is also so much talent in this community that the world has yet to discover — singers, dancers, producers, and storytellers. We are sitting on gold; we just need the right stage.

Thembisa is full of hidden gems. When it comes to food, I enjoy going to Shakas Kota. After school, there is nothing better. It is affordable, filling and tastes like home.

When I want to relax, I go to Ka Jozi. The atmosphere helps me reset; the music, the laughter and that special Thembisa energy. For fun, I also enjoy spending time at Shakas Kota with my friends, where we can laugh, eat and forget about stress.

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I always tell people to support our own businesses and local spaces because that is how we grow as a community.

A moment that changed my life happened right here in Thembisa. I realised I was spending too much time scrolling on my phone and decided to use it differently.

I started watching free tutorials on music production and acting. I practised using the apps I had available and discovered something important: I do not need money to start. I can start with what I already have.

That realisation changed everything for me. If I can learn using the resources I have, then I can also teach others. Now I want to use my skills to help other learners discover their own talents.

One of the biggest challenges facing our community is drugs and crime, especially among young people after school. There is too much idle time and not enough safe spaces where young people can develop their skills.

We can change this by giving learners purpose. If we have music studios, acting classes and sports programmes, we create opportunities for young people to build instead of destroy.

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We need places where talent can be trained instead of wasted.

The people who inspire me are local teachers and artists who continue to do great things despite limited resources. They show up every day, they teach, they mentor and they create.

They prove that you do not have to leave Thembisa to make a difference. You can start here.

If I had to describe Thembisa in three words, they would be: home, hustle and heart.

Home, because this is where I grew up. Hustle, because people here never stop trying. Heart, because no matter what challenges we face, we continue caring for each other.

A skill that many people do not know about me is that I produce music and act using only my phone and free applications.

I create beats in my room, write scripts in my notebook and teach other learners how to do the same. I show them that your phone can become a studio and your voice can become an instrument.

My dream is to start a free music academy in Thembisa. A place where any learner can come after school and learn without worrying about fees or barriers. A place where talent and hard work are what matter.

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If I could bring one positive change to Thembisa, it would be that academy; a safe space with instruments, microphones and people who believe in young people.

A place where we can create music, produce short films and learn how to turn talent into a career.
I believe that when we keep learners busy creating, we keep them away from trouble.

The best advice I have ever received was: “Start where you are, with what you have.”

Malume Mxolisi shared those words with me. At first, I did not fully understand them. I was waiting for money, equipment and someone to help me.

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But those words pushed me to take action. I started recording music on my phone. I started acting in my yard. I started teaching my friends. Slowly, things began to grow.

To me, home means being somewhere you are known and where you can grow. It is where people saw you fall and still cheered when you stood up again.

Thembisa is home.

The struggles here taught me strength. The love here taught me kindness. The people here taught me to dream.

Now I want to give back. I want the next generation of learners to have more opportunities than I had. I want them to see that Thembisa can produce stars.

I am not waiting for permission. I am learning. I am creating. I am teaching.

And one day, I want people to say: “That started in Thembisa. That started with Ntando.”