Newly-launched educational centre opens its doors
Amasobode Career Development and Educational Support Centre, it is aimed at bringing about change in the community.

A new educational centre opened its gates in the Shoba area, Emalayinini section, on Freedom Day. Called the Amasobode Career Development and Educational Support Centre, it is aimed at bringing about change in the community by offering educational programmes like early childhood programmes, digital literacy classes, extra classes in critical subjects, career development services, artisanal skills, university admission applications, printing and photocopying services.
The Amasobode Foundation is a non-profit organisation that was formally registered in 2019 by Ayanda Kubheka. Ayanda grew up in Nongoma and schooled at Zamani Primary School and then Empilweni Secondary School, where the whole idea of helping the youth through educational support was born.
In 2012, when he was doing Grade 12, Life Sciences teacher Mr MS Mashazi prophetically told him that, “I see you as a leading student at one of the big universities in South Africa.” After those words, Ayanda never looked back or doubted his abilities. He looked up to that teacher as his role model and so asked him to help with a Central Applications Office (CAO) form which, at that time, wasn’t easy to get. He goes on to say that he made mistakes when filling out the CAO form, where he put his sister’s email address without her consent, only to find that the email address he used wasn’t regularly checked. Responses from universities were therefore forfeited because he didn’t see them.
So he found himself having passed with good grades, with two bursaries in hand but without any firm offer from an institution of higher learning. He had to embark on the walk-in process and finally got a space to pursue his educational studies, specialising in Languages and Life Orientation at the University of Zululand in 2013.
A passion for assisting underprivileged youth was nurtured during his four years at university, and he was better positioned to put this aspiration into action. He started visiting schools and providing them with CAO forms, as well as giving inspirational talks to encourage the youth.
In 2016, he applied to do an Honours degree in Educational Support Services, where he delved deeper into issues of career guidance, special education and inclusive education. He pursued those studies free of charge, since he obtained a bursary from the Unizulu Foundation.
The FREE EDUCATION phenomenon was a reality for him, since his undergraduate studies were funded by the KZN Department of Education as well.
After 2018, upon completion of his Honours degree, he focused on helping the youth to ‘taste the fruits of education’.
‘’The vision has always been having a structure where the youth and parents can get advice on the importance of education and how one should choose a career. The Amasobode Foundation then becomes a career guidance institution that seeks to fight the status quo and change the narrative by informing, empowering and exposing our rural/township youth to the opportunities that could be seized to enable them to change their current standing, to better their lives and ultimately become triumphant over the national crisis of inequality, poverty and unemployment.
“The main objective of the Amasobode Foundation is to deal with the ‘little or no career guidance’ initiatives in rural areas, specifically around scarce skills sectors with the understanding that without proper early career guidance, youth navigate through their career blindly. We appreciate the reception and also invite support from potential sponsors to assist with computers, smart boards, chairs, tables and stationery for the proper implementation of the plan.’’
For more information, contact: amasobodefoundation1@gmail.com, 079 107 3654, or Facebook: Amasobode Foundation.
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The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.