Pretoria – Education is the only way to break the back of many of the challenges youth face, says Miss South Africa Ntandoyenkosi Kunene.
Kunene made the remarks during an educational tour at the Union Buildings on Thursday, where Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Youth Development, Buti Manamela, was hosting learners from various schools around Gauteng.
The event was aimed at educating the learners about the She Conquers campaign that was launched in June by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is chair of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).
She Conquers is a national HIV/AIDS prevention campaign aimed at young women and adolescent girls. It seeks to decrease new HIV/AIDS infections in girls, keep girls in school until matric and increase economic opportunities for young women.
Before the tour, young entrepreneurs shared their stories with learners and how they managed to make it in life despite the challenges they had while growing up.
Kunene, 24, told learners that it is possible to achieve their goals and dreams but it requires patience and determination. She encouraged learners to always make time for education as it is a great empowerment tool.
“Education is one of the key factors for South Africa’s socio-economic development. It doesn’t matter where you come from, it’s only a matter of choice,” Kunene told learners.
Switching focus on HIV/AIDS, Kunene said behaviour change was a very important part of curbing infections.
“The problem is that we are not changing our behaviour, even though we have so much information on HIV/AIDS.”
SANAC CEO Dr Fareed Abdullah urged learners to get more information on HIV/AIDS before they become sexually active.
“When you get to that critical moment, make sure you understand what sex is and know more about HIV/AIDS. Before you engage in sex, think about condoms, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy,” Dr Abdullah warned learners.
The power of youth
Deputy Minister Manamela said while government can play a part in helping young people to achieve their goals, it is up to them to ensure that they fulfil their dreams.
“We want you to live … your dreams. There’s no limit. We are proud to be South Africans and we want you to be associated with this country. We are going to make it work and it’s you, who are at the centre of making this country work,” said Deputy Minister Manamela.
Grade 11 learner from PJ Simelane Secondary School in Dobsonville, Kamogelo Manose, said the educational tour and stories shared by young entrepreneurs was an eye-opener, which motivated her to focus more on her dreams.
“After this tour and messages from the speakers, I’m going to press on with my dreams and never give up because I believe in myself,” said the 17-year-old, who wants to be a forensic scientist. – SAnews.gov.za
