Youth icon award for activist

Ekta Somera is the proud recipient of the Lotus FM Women of Substance Awards: Youth Icon Award.

These awards are to recognise South African women who are excellent achievers in their respective fields and who are using their voices and positions to effect powerful change in their communities.

The Umkomaas resident ticked all the boxes and was selected as a finalist several weeks ago. She was then announced as the Youth Icon winner at the awards ceremony at Coastlands Musgrave Hotel last Saturday evening.

“This award isn’t only for me; it is for every young woman who has stepped out of the norm and stood up for what she believes in, and for every woman who was belittled and criticised. The world isn’t always kind to those with a vision not everyone can see, and I live by the words of Jim Carrey, who once said that ‘you can fail at doing what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance at doing what you love’.”

Somera hopes that this achievement inspires others to realise that everyone has what it takes to make a difference.

“If there is something you would like to see different in this world, then by all means, you must be the one to go out and make that difference.”

She has been very involved in her local community for years as a youth activist, poet and community leader.

As a community mobiliser for Youth Capital, she plays a crucial role in advocating for policy changes to combat youth unemployment in the country.

Somera stated that this recent achievement has made her feel truly humbled and full of gratitude.

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