Local NPO impacts the youth and inmates

The Disele May Foundation (DMF) Youth Initiative Desk and Yeoville Youth Crime Prevention were invited to celebrate a youth event with school girls at Eveline Independent High School and inmates at Johannesburg Correctional Services.

Youth Crime Prevention is a structure of young people established by SAPS and the Department of Community Safety to bring young people together from youth organisations, schools and the public.

Impacting young lives

The theme was ‘Waking Up to a New Tomorrow‘, a school girls’ event focused on empowering and inspiring young minds.

DMF founder and CEO, Disele May said: “They invited us to share our valuable insights on social issues affecting girls and to share our experiences, expertise, and advice.”

The theme was of encouraging girls to break free from societal constraints and embrace their potential.

“We are working together to make a positive impact on the lives of our young girls,” Disele added.

The foundation and its different stakeholders and local youth, including high school boys and girls, celebrated Youth Day with inmates at Johannesburg Correctional Services, organised by Sports, Reaction, Arts and Culture (SRAC) management and SRAC inmate chairperson, Muzi Ngubani. The speakers shared various topics to encourage the inmates.

Actively embracing the socioeconomic gains of our democracy, the purpose of the commemorative event was to highlight achievements by young people of 1976.

The aim was to encourage the youth to embrace the principles of selflessness demonstrated by those who suffered and died to achieve equal opportunities for young people.

They also brought stakeholders to give presentations of scenarios of the fateful day that shaped the South African education system, intending to create a generation of young lions or torchbearers for the next generation.

“The true version of this historic day has lost its meaning since it is now commemorated with alcohol and drugs. We seek to find amicable ways to rehabilitate the youth inmates,” said Disele.

An elderly inmate spoke to the learners, expressing: “When you go home as the youth of today, look at the lessons. Acknowledge the opportunities you have that we did not have. Ask yourself if you are utilising those opportunities to the best of your ability. Learn from the success stories of those who have walked the part and look at their determination to achieve what they have achieved.

A voice among many

Phemelo May (23), a director of the DMF and the head of the DMF Youth Initiative Desk highlighted: “Young people, in particular, have a role to play in prevention processes – recognising that they make up most of both victims and perpetrators of violence.”

The Youth Initiative Desk focuses on GBVF prevention interventions, violence prevention, and advocates for more intentional and integrated programmes, especially at a local level.

“Youth voices are often not considered in policy-making and implementation processes, although these have a direct impact on how they navigate their existence and their access to resources, and where young people have developed interventions that respond to critical community issues and needs.

“Youth capacity-building programmes are often geared towards entrepreneurship skills training and financial business resourcing and less on community development or demystifying how to partner with government and other actors for interventions that benefit communities.”

She said the DMF Youth Initiative Desk seeks to contribute to the materialisation of the national strategic plan on GBV and femicide (NSP GBVF), raise funds for empowering young women who have been victims of abuse, empower and equip them with tools of transformation to foster their healing journeys as survivors of abuse which is a cause that is dear to DMF’s heart.

During her visit to Evelin Independent High School, Phemelo said to the learners: “You have access to a vast amount of information and resources at your fingertips. Whether it is video tutorials on YouTube, articles on different mediums or specialised courses on platforms like Coursera or Udemy, there’s something for everyone.”

She encouraged the learners to use social media platforms like Reddit, Facebook groups or specialised forums that provide communities where learners can ask questions. This sense of community can keep them motivated and accountable.

She finished by saying: “As we stand united, hand in hand, let us remember our potential is limitless, and our futures are boundless.

“Let us continue to inspire, uplift, and empower one another; for together, we are unstoppable. Let us look beyond tomorrow with hope in our hearts; knowing the best is yet to come. As Zozibini Tunzi reminds us, ‘The most important thing is to be unapologetically yourself; you owe that to the world.’”

Hardships endured

Among the speakers was Disele, who shared her journey of hardship she endured when she was young. She said to the learners: “When they invited me to come here, I didn’t have fuel but because I know my purpose and how God has been using me, I took my son’s savings and I told him I would pay double.

“I was exhausted from another event but made time for you because I know some of you are experiencing what I went through and I don’t wish even my worst enemy to go through that.

“I don’t want you to go through the pain I’ve experienced. When you are equipped and empowered, it will be up to you to choose which advice you want to follow.”

She encouraged the learners that if they need to talk, they can call them as they have a social worker who has volunteered her time to work with the foundation.

Sizakele Maphupha is a member of the DMF team and travels with the founder, Disele, encouraging many in the community.

During the event, Sizakele shared her story highlighting: “Chasing money and the good life, I became a drug dealer in Soweto. Soon, I took my first trip to Brazil to bring back drugs. It was a successful trip. I got the drugs and was sitting in the plane at the airport in Sao Paulo looking forward to leaving for OR Tambo International Airport, but the cops were already on me. They arrested me on the plane. I served five years in a Brazilian prison.”

Collaboration leads to great impact

The collaborative efforts of the organisations brought food for thought to the learners, which motivated and inspired them learners.

“We would love to expand and have a greater impact by assisting more vulnerable scholars in different schools, in different provinces around South Africa,” said Disele.

For more information or to get involved, contact 064 551 9736 or email diselemayfoundation@gmail.com