Ayanda Nkosi transforming township youth

“When you have a dream that you cannot let go, trust your instincts and pursue it. But remember, real dreams take work, they take patience and sometimes they require you to dig down very deep. Be sure that you are willing to do that,” said Harvey Mackay and that is the mantra Ayanda Nkosi chants as he goes about fulfilling the dreams of township youth.

Born and bred in Wesselton, he saw how the young African child struggled with few and far between opportunities to get out of the poverty status quo.

He is telling impoverished learners that cannot afford higher education that it is possible.

He comes from humble beginnings, having begun his school years at Qambekile Primary School and completing Grade 12 at Ithafa Secondary.

He pursued his electrical engineering qualification at Ekurhuleni West College, but his passion for helping the youth took him in another direction.

He started off as a youth coach at Co-Heal, based in Secunda at Sizwakele Secondary School, but later ended up on his own turf of Ermelo at Lindile High School. They dealt with issues facing the youth, be it social or economic. Working with various stakeholders, they counselled learners, offering them shoulders to lean on in hard times.

His experience as a youth coach led him, with his friend Lungelo Mabuza, to start Township Youth Transformation (TYT) in 2014. A non-profit organisation, it assisted learners struggling with mathematics and physical science.

His electrical engineering qualification came into play, as he could tutor the learners in a way they could understand.

With more responsibility, Ayanda and Lungelo saw a need to expand the organisation and have included motivational talks and various programmes to assist the child growing up in the township.

The organisation offers winter school where local students studying at tertiary institutions spend their winter break tutoring Grade 12 learners in various subjects.

This year alone the organisation has achieved more than they set out to do and they currently assist three students at tertiary level.

Their goal is to have more than 10 children register for tertiary education in the coming year. Ayanda and his TYT team will be hosting a fundraising gala to reach this goal.

Even though the organisation takes up most of his time, he is a proud father, brother and son.

He also has political aspirations, being the secretary of his party in the Youth League in his ward in Wesselton.

However, his ultimate goal is to own his own business, because he believes it is best to work for oneself.

His leadership qualities have also seen him being a youth leader at his church.
An avid church-goer, he is passionate about his faith.

Ayanda’s ideas pour out of him as he has so much to do and achieve.  He firmly believes that anything is possible with the right attitude.

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