Positive power for school girls

‘Be the best you can be’ was the message to teenagers of the Arts and Culture department’s Girls Summit at the Hampshire Hotel, Ballito last week.

More than 100 girls from 26 schools gathered at the hotel for the summit from March 18 to 20.

The two and a half days offered a jam-packed schedule including a 5am two kilometre brisk walk, presentations by the girls, women’s health talks, leadership tips and gender based violence group discussions.

Nomusa Njoko, an Aids activist and gospel artist, was one of the most impressive speakers, according to the girls, because of her powerful story and her inspiring words.

Njoko emphasized the importance of putting God first, then yourself and then your family.

She told the girls how she coped when she got the news that she has Aids, how she survived the mocking from her community, brought up her son and became the well adjusted, well to do woman she is today.

“I am not an Aids victim, Aids does not look like me. I am not proud of having Aids, but I am not ashamed of myself either and neither should you be,” she told the attentive girls.

“Musa was my favourite speaker, as she encouraged us to live life to the full and reach our goals,” said Noxolelo Mnguni, grade ten pupil at Mathubesizwe High School, Mandeni.

“The MEC told us to aim to be a hero in our community and to be a good example to everyone around us,” said Anele Zikhali, Noxolelo’s classmate.

The MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha said she hoped the summit empowered the girls to take full control of their lives and destiny. She said the girls hold the key to turning around the poor matric performance in the Ilembe region by being responsible and educated about teen pregnancy, drug abuse, and Aids and by working towards doing well at school.