Thembisa youngsters get a chance to showcase their talents
Thembisa is blessed with great talent deserving of recognition.
Former Miss Tembisa pageant winner Jessica Nonhlanhla Khumalo created a platform called We Support Local Talent to give the youth of Thembisa a chance to showcase their talents for free.
Khumalo was also a Miss Tembisa 2014 top-five finalist.
She founded the platform in October 2023 to make things easier for talented youth to gain recognition for their creative skills and gain financial capacity in the arts and entertainment industries.
Khumalo is multi-talented because she is a model, musician, entrepreneur, and the Ekasi Home Brewed Podcast founder, encouraging her to help creatives with their talent to give them exposure and help them on their journey to become a Thembisan success story.
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“One of my supporters encouraged me to start this platform, and I thought that since I am a creative, why not assist others who want to embark on this journey, too?” Khumalo said.
We Support Local Talent has helped over 30 creative youth showcase their work, helping them gain recognition in and outside Thembisa.
“We Support Local Talent helped me because it gave me the recognition I needed, and I was a nominee for the female DJ category in the Sekhukhune Recognition Awards, and it motivated me to take more DJ lessons,” said MC, dancer and DJ Buhle Makola.
Khumalo said talented youth go unrecognised in their communities because they do not get enough spotlight, and most communities tend to turn a blind eye to art.
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Khumalo is trying to change the narrative.
“I want every young person to believe that you can be talented and make your passion an occupation, but also the importance of art in a broader sense.
“I want to make art cool again. We Support Local Talent also believes in education and encourages the youth to go to school, read books and learn while pursuing their talents,” she added.
We Support Local Talent aims to bring the community of Thembisa together to recognise, honour and support the youths’ talent and help them grow and achieve more than they have now.
