Youngsters are selected by ‘AfriCAN Child Your Time Is Now

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Saturday, 16 March was a momentous day at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton for 10 AfriCAN Child leaders between the age of six and 20.

The youngsters have been selected by AfriCAN Child Your Time Is Now (Pty) Ltd’s founder Anthea Thyssen-Ambursley, who has committed to take 10 gifted entrepreneurs under her wing to be coached collectively.

Thyssen-Ambursley is a Fourways resident, an educational activist and founded the company to uplift Africans and create a generation of leaders to tackle challenges faced by the continent. She was also featured in the publication earlier this year, Ordinary community members do extraordinary things: changing the world with business and books, [Week ending 18 January].

“Entrepreneurial education from primary school age is crucial to eradicating socio-economic challenges with the high employment among our youth in South Africa,” Thyssen-Ambursley said.

She believes that Ubuntu leadership teaching is the only liberated way to teach our young ones to become conscious and impactful future leaders. On the day the AfriCAN leaders were afforded the chance to sit around a boardroom table discussing the issues they would resolve immediately if they were old enough to make adult choices.

The 17-year-old Ntando Makwela, an award-winning author, motivational speaker, radio and TV personality and Brand SA Play Your Part Ambassador was the keynote speaker during the event.

He shared his journey so far with his peers and inspired them with his tenacity and persistence in pursuing his dream amidst his challenges to obtain funding to support his business.

The challenges that were raised by these young board members were the building of houses which was mentioned by the youngest participant, Linden Ambursley, who is six years old. The concerns raised by these young leaders were education, housing, leadership, bullying and mental health among youth. Their task was to select a billionaire on the African continent and to research them and give feedback on how they will lead differently if they become wealthy one day.

Thyssen-Ambursley urged them to innovate and create products that will impact and build Africa instead of destroying our environment and people.

“We need leaders that can lead with their hearts instead of their minds.

The African continent is divided, and as Africans, we need to unite and move forward. Borders have divided our minds and hearts. We need leaders that will dismantle all these barriers that hold the growth of Africa back.”

Alistair Ntsako (14) from Karen Park in Pretoria, who is involved in the leadership programme, was selected to be part of the Achievers Tour which is visiting America.

The tour will take place in August and will be 11 days long and will include lectures and tours dedicated to computing, technology and the sciences. He will have an opportunity to visit Stanford University, the University of Washington, the University of California, the California Institute of Technology, Microsoft Campus, Future of Flight Aviation Centre, Boeing Factory, Silicon Valley (Tech Museum of Innovation, Apple Company Store, Google Campus).

“As citizens of South Africa, it is our duty and our responsibility to mentor, coach and lead our children to become great leaders that can allow the African continent to lead for the generations to come. Our children are our future,” Thyssen-Ambursley said.

To sponsor a child on the programme, please email anthea@acytin.org.za or call 084 602 4439.

Details: AfriCAN Child Your Time Is Now

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