Eight matric learners from Windmill Park Secondary School contributed poems and paintings to a book entitled Voices, Values, Vision Impression and Expression by South African Youth, which was launched on February 25.
The book was birthed through the Sondela Open Dialogues in which 987 youth from 30 public high schools in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape took part. The book comprises paintings and poems of the participants and was spearheaded by the Valued Citizens Initiative NPO.
Windmill Park High matriculant Thato Mapane said she started participating in the dialogues when she was in Grade Nine, with the same group of learners she went with to the previous Sondela Open Dialogues.
“I contributed a poem entitled Safe Communities to the book. I wrote this poem to motivate people to protect each other, especially in times of danger and to keep the environment clean,” said Mapane.
Smangaleso Mdluli contributed an artwork about humanity (ubuntu). “My artwork is mainly focusing on encouraging people to unite and be generous. I’m illustrating that human beings need each other to survive and trying to encourage people to practice humanity in all their endeavours,” said Mdluli.
Kamogelo Sekati said he contributed an artwork that shows how inequality and poverty affect people where he lives (Windmill Park).
“I recently moved to Windmill Park and have noticed people are struggling in this area because of the scarcity of jobs. My artwork is to inform the masses about this issue. Maybe they might help the residents of my area,” said Sekati.
Nthabeleng Khakhani contributed a poem about domestic violence and Tshwarelo Mahumapelo contributed a painting that emphasised the importance of helping each other as people.
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