NPO helps create culture of reading
It is the love for learning that inspired her to join heads with some of the members from her church and start YESS as a way to educate and empower the youth of Wentworth.
EDUCATION is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. These are the sentiments of the chairperson of the Youth Education Support Services (YESS), Linda James.
YESS which is a today non-profit organisation that primarily serves as an after school programme was born after Linda together with other members of the community noticed that many children were struggling to reach their full potential academically. YESS offers extra lessons in various primary academic subjects and encourages a culture of reading for enjoyment and knowledge.
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Linda was born in central Durban, living with her grandparents before being relocated by the then government to Wentworth in 1969 under the Group Areas Act. She attended Wentworth High School, today is known as Umbilo High School until she matriculated. “When we first arrived at this community it was a big culture shock from what we were used to as we had been placed at an old navy barracks known as the Drake Barrack which used to house soldiers. We had heard a lot of negative stories about Wentworth and we were sort of terrified about the move because we weren’t sure how we would fit in,” she said.
She said that at first, she didn’t understand the dynamics of the area. “I didn’t realise that we were actually poor people because we were very content with our lives and lifestyle when were still in town. In Wentworth, I found that people were very interlinked and would go into each other’s homes and I actually recalled overhearing someone say our furniture was so old after being at our home. I was so taken aback at that because that had never been an issue for our family. As I grew up and I realised that people had so much stuff and placed so much value on the material things. Previously I didn’t realise that we were people of lack.”
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As a result, Linda said that she often did not feel like she fit in well in the community as a young girl, except when she was at school with her nose in a book. “My grandfather did his utmost best to inculcate the importance of education. Hearing this from him over and over again. My mother was an excellent reader and there was always books and magazines around us growing up. What TV soapies are to people now is what books were for us and through our reading we picked up a love for words, language and learning in general. My grandfather was very instrumental in my passion for education, he motivated and instructed us daily to pursue our studies, often saying that even though he was a poor man he would work tirelessly to ensure my siblings and I were educated. Going to school, learning, reading, writing, therefore, became my happy place and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
It is this love for learning that inspired her to join heads with some of the members from her church and start YESS as a way to educate and empower the youth of Wentworth. “It’s become so important to me to do something that would impact the lives of other people and to do it for no money, but for love. There are so many children that need guidance and help in their school work. The YESS team just wants people to realise the value of education. That way we wouldn’t have so many soup kitchens, our people would be able to feed themselves and their families by having an education that can provide a gateway to a job. We can begin to do other things that empower and give back to the community in more sustainable ways. Seeing the community prosper is our ultimate goal,” said an ever passionate Linda.
The youth of the local community is welcome to join YESS which is run at the Blue Roof Life Space, at no cost. For more information or to sponsor the organisation, contact Linda James on 076-336-4382.
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