Nthateng Tsotetsi media centre opens
“I thought to myself that a media centre will have a great impact at my school and in the community.”
eMBALENHLE – The newly opened media centre at the Sizwakele Secondary School has been named after Ntatheng Tsotetsi (15).
Nthateng is a pupil of the school and one of the 2014 You Decide, Future Leaders’ contestants.
The media centre idea was her project for the competition.
She said; “We were required to come up with projects which will positively impact the community.
“I thought to myself that a media centre will have a great impact at my school and in the community.
“It will help my schoolmates to access the Internet and improve their computer skills.
“I was overwhelmed when the principal, Mr Sam Moemesi, announced that the centre will be named after me.
“I am humbled and grateful.”
At the opening ceremony various speakers expressed their appreciation towards Nthateng for coming up with the idea of a media centre for the school.
Among the attendees was Ms Thandi Nxonono, MMC for Technical and Engineering Services, who encouraged Nthateng to keep up the good work.
“The Govan Mbeki Municipality is proud of you.
“Thank for you not being self-centred, this proves that you are a leader.
“We wish you all the best.”
Her friends, Gugu Mqadi and Thuli Mkhatjwa, described her as a determined and focused person.
“She is such an inspiration and a smart person, you can always lean on and trust her for help in time of need,” said Gugu.
Thuli said: “We have learned a lot from her.
“She is a free spirit and is always smiling.
“She is multi-talented and enthusiastic about life and her future.
“She deserves to win the competition.”
Nthateng thanked the You Decide, Future Leaders for the opportunity given to her to be part of the competition.
Future Leaders is the extension of You Decide, an initiative to help curb underage drinking in South Africa, facilitated through a partnership between the South African Breweries (SAB), the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), provincial departments of Education in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Free State, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and local youth marketing agency HDI.
You Decide raises awareness of the dangers and consequences of underage drinking through targeted interventions aimed at the youth and the broader communities they live in, including parents, teachers and tavern owners.
The programme has reached more than 500 000 pupils across the country since its launch in 2012.
Future Leaders aims at identifying and developing young leaders while creating awareness around critical social and economic issues, such as the problem of underage drinking.
The show is based on specific community projects that each of the five contestants selected and set out to implement.
By providing a more constructive recreational environment through these projects, they believe teenagers’ choices to consume alcohol and engage in irresponsible behaviour will be affected.
