USING ENTERTAINMENT TO CHANGE LIVES OF YOUTH

Some people where born to make the world a better place, Kabelo Mabasa is one person who sees the good in people, their potential and shapes them into better individuals. Born and bred in Soshanguve Block G, 24 years old ambitious, talented and operations management student at the University of Johannesburg has managed to take some of the youth in his community off the streets through his youth development project.

From a young age, Kabelo always dreamt of being purposeful and his passion drove him to being a hero. ’’My brother is my role model, I always look up to him and he encourages me on a daily basis not to give up on my dreams no matter what the situation could be”, said Kabelo. Seeing his peers throwing their lives in the den by being involved in drug and alcohol abuse gave him nothing but a heartache and he knew from that moment that something has to be done to save the youth in his community and that’s how Zeal youth development project was born.

The programme started back in 2010 with the motive to take the vulnerable youth of Block G off the streets through sports, health, recreation, arts and after school lessons. ”The main aim for me in starting this project was to empower young people not to get involved in substance abuse under my watch”, he said.

In today’s lingo we can safely say Zeal’s project is lit and it’s definitely going to shape the best youth of tomorrow. The arts and recreational activities keep them busy while giving them something to do and explore their talents. ’’Being bored and having nothing to do are some of the factors that makes young and vulnerable youth turn into drugs and alcohol abuse so the project is there to help eradicate crime, substance abuse and the downfall of youth’’, said Kabelo.

Zeal youth development programme has been facing the challenge of not having space and lack of funds hence they use his home and the assistants do not receive any stipend, thus others end up pulling out. That has not given Kabelo enough reason to give up what he started and their ward councilor has even noticed his efforts and gave him a piece of land to build his empire.

Kabelo has been hosting events with a line up of famous djs and has been saving every cent obtained from the events to build a youth centre. ’’I have been hosting events and saving proceedings to build the centre and I am about to host another event on the 8^th of September at Giant stadium, every single cent made is going straight towards the project’’, said Kabelo.

By: MVUSO DAVHANA