MYD aims to better the lives of youth
25-year-old Anthony Maponya calls himself a youth adviser and community developer at heart.
POLOKWANE – Anthony has devoted his time to making sure that less advantaged communities receive all the necessary information, knowledge and resources that they need to prosper.
Being recognised as National Youth Adviser in the Republic of South Africa, he can now achieve this set-out mission through his non-profit government organisation called MYD (Makombandlela Youth Development).
The aim of the organisation is to help transform the lives of disadvantaged communities and help them deal with some of the challenges and problems they face on a daily basis.
“I started the oganisation shortly after I got my qualification in Human Resource Management at Richfield College with the aim of helping to transform the lives of disadvantaged communities and help them deal with some of the challenges and problems they face on a daily basis. This program is based on the challenges experienced by communities within the Capricorn District,” Anthony explained.
The organisation which was started in 2016, engages communities in positive debates and discussions in order to ensure that they make informed decisions. In partnership with local clinics Makanye Clinic, Phuti Clinic, Nobody Clinic, Mankweng Hospital, Department of Health, Department of Social Development, SAPS and local municipality office, who assist where they can during outreach program visits to health and cultural facilities in disadvantaged communities where MYD offers career counselling, motivational talks, ECD training, youth and after school programs and various other programs and projects which aim at community development.
“So far we have managed to help about 300 old age homes from neighboring communities and managed to help youth, who have fallen victim to drug and substance abuse, get the necessary help that they need through rehab as well as engaging them in career counselling programs which have proven to be helpful, as some of those youth are now employed and can fend for themselves and their families,” he added.
The organisation will be hosting a Drug Awareness Campaign on 9 March in Makgwareng, Red Fox Ground where guests from Social Development, University of Limpopo, SAPS and others will be amidst attendance to ensure that the message is spread across.
