Miss Soweto 2019 Musawenkosi Gumede announces a project to give back to the community
She has identified 4 schools in Soweto, two high schools and two primary schools which will receive this support.
Being crowned Queen in a pageant is a great prestige, you don’t only earn fame and popularity but it comes with responsibilities, however, the global pandemic has unfortunately interfered with most beauty queens’ plans to flourish during their reigning period.
Miss Soweto 2019, Musawenkosi Gumede did not let this stop her from playing her role in the community, the beauty queen has taken a keen notice to the lack of counseling that students in underprivileged communities are exposed to and would like to focus her term prioritizing the needs of students to ensure they excel amid this pandemic, coming up with the charity project, Connect A Student, which is aimed at addressing challenges that already existed before COVID-19 and have only become more apparent.
She has identified 4 schools in the community, two high schools and two primary schools which will receive this support. The project plans to assist students with gadgets and data funds, feeding schemes, medical training, and supply of sanitizers as well as further academic support with assistance from Clinix, Miss Soweto sponsor, White Star, and African Bank.
Connect A student identifies schools by carefully assessing which schools are in dire need of support that the program directly responds to. Gumede said that the selected schools were selected based on the challenges prior to the pandemic and how it has adversely affected the schools functioning.
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“The project will reinforce support for the feeding schemes, so we can ensure that students don’t go hungry and are able to concentrate in class and perform without worrying about a grumbling stomach. Our intention is to work closely with White Star towards this boost and ensure we curb the growing fears of food insecurity,” Gumede said.
“Together with our clinical partner Clinix Health Group- Tshepo Themba, we will work to improve the communities’ awareness around the virus. We have noted that there are huge gaps in managing and supporting the mental health of scholars and how this can affect how they perform during the school year. As such we will develop comprehensive interactive workshops that will educate teachers and families on infection control, the nature of the virus and stigma, and provide much-needed counseling support to help students and teachers navigate this period,” she added.
Gumede says that more than just education, the project is more about ensuring community wellness.
“My view is that this project is more about ensuring community wellness rather than education. Africa has the youngest youth population in the world and I truly believe that we must protect and build structures within communities to ensure they feel supported to achieve their potential. I am passionate about wellness at an individual level however, the plight of the pandemic forces us to look even beyond individuals. Noting the lack of community projects promoting wellness, I wanted to use this platform to engage the community through schools to reprioritise this by promoting a society of informed citizens,” she said.
Asked how her journey has been as Miss Soweto amid the pandemic, Gumede said it has been quite a challenging one.
“It’s been quite challenging as it has really impacted the rollout of plans, I had for the year. As with everyone else I have had to adapt and be agile to respond to the environment and think of how I could assist the community to make my reign impactful,” she said.
“As devastating as the pandemic has been on our livelihoods and way of life, it has brought to the fore the inequalities that exist in our communities. Which is good because now we have the opportunity to work together to change this. I am deeply affected by what I have witnessed during my time volunteering in the community and what families go through as well as how COVID-19 has exacerbated this. It has fueled my mission to go deeper into the communities to lend a hand with partners such as White Star and other stakeholders. I have tried to cope as best as I could with the lockdown. I have been very lucky to have my family as a pillar of support which has kept me sane.” she added.
The following are lessons she took with from the global pandemic:
– No man is an island and no island is exempt from the sufferings of life. We are our brother’s keeper and ought to show more compassion.
– It’s time we support and create opportunities in our communities, Financial education is a necessary subject in communities like Soweto.
– Our ignorance is our defeat; we need to be more vigilant about what happens in our lives and be more proactive in planning our futures.
“My ultimate goal is to start off or continue a self-sustaining community of change agents. And to challenge leaders to strive to improve the quality of life for South Africans, so that we are all able to have a chance to make survive and live quality lives without poverty,” Gumede concludes.
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