The tendency of community members in Alexandra to solve issues through violence seems to have rubbed off on the township youth as violent incidents continue to plague local schools.
This is the view of the non-profit organisation Rays of Hope which has been running many projects in the township for the past 32 years that focus on learners and the youth. They’ve just started an intervention programme known as #CatchThemYoung.
The new programme aims to educate and equip learners with the tools needed to overcome various challenges and to make them more resilient and productive members of society.
According to a statement from Rays of Hope, children no longer respect their peers in their age group or even their teachers. Many of these kids have joined school gangs that disrupt the peace of others. A school ought to be a place where children can relax and forget about the challenges they may face daily.
As a result of this, Rays of Hope has started this programme to #CatchThemYoung as a means to address the violent nature of learners and the youth within the township schools and in the community at large.
Although Rays of Hope is aware that violence has become a global issue and an even more pervasive problem in South Africa where high levels of inequality, poverty and unemployment exist, the NPO believes it is an issue that needs to be tackled.
“Violence hinders social development and quality of life but is particularly destructive for the country’s vulnerable communities that tend to bear the brunt of these incidents and challenges.
“While the statistics are shocking, they do not accurately represent the actual reality of what is happening on the ground,” said social worker and head of the Schools Intervention Programme at Rays of Hope, Jacob Tema.
“In Alexandra schools and the wider Alexandra community, for example, there are many unreported cases of violence. Ongoing community programmes dedicated to educating the wider community is one way we can start addressing the issues of gender-based violence, sexuality, anger management, bullying and toxic masculinity,” Tema said.
“Considering the environment that the majority of learners in Alex grow up in, it’s plain to see that the youth are far more susceptible to joining in on or becoming victims of problems like bullying, teenage pregnancy, and drug abuse,” he added.
“Through this approach, we are not only giving these learners a chance at better futures, but we are also changing the narrative at a foundational level; one child at a time.”
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