POLOKWANE – Guests for the day were Busisiwe Makwarela, owner of Makwarela Optometrists who donated gifts to the selected speakers, Prudence Mabasa from Capricorn FM, Miss Teen South Africa 2021 Refilwe Malatji who is also a Gr 11 learner at the school, Luyanda Moli from Christian Revival Church (CRC) and Maggy Matshivha from Aloe Events, who made sure that the setup looked classy and beautiful for the girls.
Malatji spoke on how one can stand up for themselves as a female when attending certain events. “Whenever I go to an event, I would always be with my mom because she is always there to fight my battles. But as time went by I have learned how to fend for myself because I’ve learned that my mom cannot always be there to fight my battles,” Refilwe said.
Gr 11 learner Neo Molokwane told Polokwane Observer it’s no secret that the teenage years are a critical stage in life in which young girls need a great deal of guidance and support. “As a high school learner, I have noticed that we as young girls usually deal with low self-esteem, depression and frankly a lot of drama at times. But the real wake-up call for me came when my fellow classmates explained what challenges they have to endure and how they overcame it. It was very inspiring to watch and listen to them speak with such courage and confidence,” Neo said. She added that she had realised girls in schools generally need a safe space to discuss issues they were facing, without judgment and this event did just that.
The boy learners also had an opportunity to talk about male issues by the pool area where they also hosted a braai with their life orientation teacher Martin Afonso. “We have discussed how young men can change society in respecting themselves and also respecting women. And we also touched on a lot of other issues that young men face on a daily basis and how they can overcome these issues,” Martin said.
See more photos from the event below:
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