They say they are tired of the increase in rape and murder cases in their community.They are members of the Gold Youth Development Agency’s peer education programme.

The agency is a dynamic non-profit organisation contributing towards measurable outcomes in education, social behaviour change and job creation among grassroots youth across priority communities in southern Africa.

Mandla Makhubela, a gold field coordinator, said when they started this group they visited the schools in their areas and enrolled learners into this programme.

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They take 30 learners per school (from the age of 14) and they get trained for four years. All the young people in the programme are called peer educators.

The aim is develop young people so that they can become role models.

They advocate for a safer community and the group in Masoyi was established about 10 years ago.

“During the training they get developed and acquire the ability to make informed decisions. These young people are divided into groups. The first is called juniors. In the second year they graduate then they are referred to as seniors.

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When they are in this part of the programme they start passing the knowledge they have onto other young people in the community and in their schools.

In their third year they are referred to as mentor peer educators, which means they have to mentor others.

“When they graduate from high school they are introduced to stakeholders so that they can get funds to further their education,” he said.

The local group recently held a march joined by the SAPS to create an awareness campaign against rape and murder.

Mathebula said they wish more parents would get involved in this programme.

“We see some parents following up on the children as they develop. However, others do not get involved. They do not even know what is happening with their children,” he said.
This programme also has academic support sessions.

“We help them with their school studies so they have noticed the growth in the peer educators since they started with the sessions. Some teachers and principals said they like the academic change they have seen in their learners,” said Rosemary Mashego, a site coordinator.

These peer educators are spreading change in their area through this programme.

For more information about the Gold Youth Development Agency, you can visit www.goldyouth.org.