Bonamelo Moloi recognised for his contribution to activism and civil society
The Youth Legacy Excellence Awards hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni were held recently in Alberton.
The chairperson and founder of Bonamelo Melisizwe Foundation, Bonamelo Moloi, was recently awarded at the inaugural Youth Legacy Excellence Awards in the youth activism and civil society category.
The awards, which were hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni, honour deserving youth for their innovation and outstanding career or community work.
“I am encouraged and honoured to have received this recognition as a testament to the impact achieved through pursuing a purpose greater than oneself,” said Bonamelo.
According to Tsholofelo Moloi, the foundation’s engagement coordinator, they have successfully impacted over 8 000 beneficiaries, including children, youth, and the broader community. This is despite working with limited resources.
Moloi said the foundation is committed to uplift communities through youth development and poverty intervention initiatives.
Bonamelo registered his NPO in January 2022, aiming to inspire a new generation of youth leaders to change their circumstances while addressing immediate needs related to poverty alleviation.
He served as programme director for National Science Week in 2017 and 2018, engaging high-level stakeholders such as the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation.
Through his NPO, he continues to lead various community development initiatives, earning the trust of residents and positively impacting their lives.
One notable program is the Kasi Coders Ekurhuleni, which provides essential coding and website development skills to 18 top-performing learners from four high schools in Daveyton during a six-week boot camp.
“Remarkably, a learner from a child-headed household has already begun designing websites for local businesses, showcasing the program’s transformative potential,” said Moloi.
The Foundation recently organised girls during its ICT Day where they introduced 24 girls from Unity Secondary School to innovative technologies, including self-driving cars and solar-powered fans.
“In response to the tragic drowning incident of Daveyton learners, the Foundation launched the Water Champions 2024 program to promote water safety education, collaborating with partners such as The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa.
“This initiative has been instrumental in teaching children essential water safety skills, aiming to prevent future tragedies and raise awareness among young audiences,” said Moloi.
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