Overport NPO hosts youth empowerment picnic

THE death of Lufuno Mavhunga, who ended her life after being bullied at school by her peers, sparked the idea for a teens picnic, hosted on Saturday by Epic Youth Matters.

Michelle Chetty, director of the NPO that aims to assist youth and children, said the picnic was hosted to provide teens with a platform to discuss their personal issues, fight against bullying and challenges created by social media.

Speaking to Berea Mail, Chetty said the programme was themed, “happy pictures and sad faces” as people often post pictures of themselves to imply they are happy but are fighting battles internally.

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“We also hosted this event because gender-based violence is huge in our country and results in more and more of our women and children being abused and dying violent deaths,” said Chetty.

“We aim to heal, restore and empower our girls and boys so they can make the right choices as many of them come from broken homes,” said Chetty.

Apart from offering emotional assistance, the NPO has also provided over 3000 hampers, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, to assist families for a two-week period.

The organisation also requires help to continue with their hamper donations and residents are encouraged to join hands and help make a difference.

Mayville resident and member of Epic Youth Matters, Amahle Madwe, said the programmes offered by the organisation has helped her with her communication and is now able to express her feelings and thoughts easily.

“This organisation became like a safety blanket for everybody. It helps to talk to people about their issues. We all come from different walks of life and we understand each other,” said Madwe.

For more information on the organisation or to assist with the hampers, contact Epic Youth Matters on Facebook.