MES Kempton Park and Initium Venture Solution empower youth with skills
“Whenever you start something new, it is always scary. You do not know what to expect and you don’t know if you are going to make it or not."
After taking a long journey to acquire the necessary skills, MES (Mould Empower Serve) clients finally held their certificates in their hands when on July 12, MES and Initium Venture Solutions held a graduation ceremony for their students.
MES Kempton Park partnered with Initium Venture Solution in September 2023 to empower some of the beneficiaries of MES with vital computer skills.
The students were enrolled into the Initium Venture which fully sponsored the course for the young graduates.
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Initium Venture founder and MD, Lungile Jafri, said it was a proud moment for the graduates.
“Whenever you start something new, it is always scary. You do not know what to expect and you don’t know if you are going to make it or not.
“It is a proud moment to see the graduates complete the course. I could never say that I have achieved my goal because it is not my goal but theirs.
“I would say that I achieved my goal if I see them progress further than this,” Jafri said.
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MES is an NPO that focuses on homelessness and forging pathways out of poverty.
The organisation helps people who are homeless and ready to change their lives. They walk a road with them so that when they exit the programme, they are sustainable, responsible and self-sustainable individuals.
MES fundraiser and marketer Luwanda Conco said that she wishes that the number of graduates would have been the number of people who started the programme, however, he is proud of those who made it until the end.
“I wasn’t at the forefront of dealing with the clients during their learning journey but from the little that I have witnessed in the beginning, there was a bit of resistance.
“The others have exited the shelter. One person found work somewhere else and others dropped out. It would be nice if everyone who participated would have graduated,” Conco said.
MES and Initium Venture learning programme top performer Wanda Nomfenge said that he didn’t expect to do so well but it makes him happy that he came out top.
“Getting this certificate will open doors for me because I love computers.
“We are living in the digital world so we need to know how to use a computer because if you don’t know how to use a computer, you will be left behind,” Nomfenge said.
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MES branch manager Lorna Wridgway told the graduates that their education could not be taken away from them.
Initium Venture and MES programme class representative Thabiso Matea said it was not easy to embark on this journey because many people discouraged him.
“I didn’t listen to them but held on until the finish line. Receiving this certificate means a lot to me.”
