Sekhotla, who is doing her honours in psychology and management, was given the Here for Good award by the university for her youth empowerment work last year in the Zandspruit and Cosmo City areas.
Speaking at a panel discussion on education, employability and entrepreneurship in Sandhurst hosted by Monash, Sekhotla explained the project she started. “The initiative I work on is the Tomorrow Starts Today programme and it is focused on providing mentorship for kids from disadvantaged communities,” she said.
“The reason I decided to focus on mentorship is due to the fact that, often, in these communities, young people are not as motivated to do well because of all the difficulties they face,” she said.
Sekhotla added that these children often lacked the right kind of mentors to guide them, which she stressed was something young people needed to help them succeed. Furthermore, she said that having the right role models often encouraged young people to become leaders and strive for a better life beyond their circumstances.
Asked if she considered herself to be a role model, Sekhotla said, “I know I’m a role model for these kids and knowing this also comes with the responsibility to act like one and lead by example.”
Here for Good is an international award which recognises the social impact of students from across the Laureate network in their various communities.
Details: www.msa.ac.za
