‘As long as I’m alive I’ll touch lives’

Paris Makaringe hails from Freedom Park, but that has not limited the youth in his role as a community activist.

Makaringe is well known in the Greater Eldorado Park for the example he sets by supporting anti-drug campaigns and his involvement in a number of initiatives in the community.

His stance against substance abuse is notable and he preaches a positive lifestyle amongst the youth of our community. Freedom Park and Eldorado Park, neighbours separated by the Golden Highway, face a myriad of issues ranging from drug and alcohol abuse to the virulent crime which spills over from one area to the next.

Makaringe said, “I felt a need to do something for the community. I’ve always been an obeisant person in everything that I do,” he said.

“I started being active within the community during a stint at South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) Central Rand as a volunteer after my matric year but left to work at the bank for seven months.”

His passion for community work prevailed and he left to continue working in the community. This led to the founding of his non-profit organisation (NPO) in 2013.

He serves as director of an NPO named Lonwabo Lwesizwe, which, loosely translated, means ‘joy of the nation’.

Through his NPO, Makaringe is committed to creating youth platforms for development through exposing them to appropriate skills and activities which can steer them away from unlawful activities such as substance abuse, drugs and crime.

Their aim is to promote a goal orientated youth through creating platforms in sectors which have a shortage of similar programmes.

The organisation aims to promote unity, non-racialism, non-sexism and hope to establish branches within the identified areas to better social services and -cohesion.

Lonwabo Lwesizwe conducts programmes such as 1000kids 1000smiles, #IAmAWoman and sports programmes in the hope that this would divert youth from destructive behaviours.

The NPO has a total of 42 members which Lonwabo Lwesize have placed in jobs as they strive to provide the youth with solid opportunities.

“Through my social activism, I was employed by the Kumaka Early Development Index,” he added.

Makaringe is primarily involved in Kumaka’s implementation of Ke Moja, a Department of Social Development drug prevention programme which focuses on educating the youth about the dangers of drug abuse.

His duties include managing and supervising Ke Moja coaches as well as planning and driving the facilitation of Ke Moja programmes in schools and other sectors of the community as well as referring relevant cases to social workers.

Community activism is usually a thankless task which does not generate income for those involved but Makaringe recently nominated in the Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans 2017 for his work in the community.

He has also started another project named #QinaDarkie. This movement aims to continue the legacy of Black Consciousness with other young people.

Apart from that, he will be launching a project that focuses on tackling social issues through the performing arts called ‘Ses La’.

Makaringe said, “My involvement in youth development is a passion which burns from the inside and anything that I can do, I do. I have no limits and I believe God gave me a gift and as long as I’m alive I’ll touch lives.”

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