The Career Expo 2016 was a great success for around 800 high school students. The career fair took place in the Miracle Theater in Elandsdoorn. What to do after leaving school – that is the central question on the minds of young people. The Career Expo gives students an overview of the possibilities they may not even have dared to dream of. This event is organized by BYI, the Bantwane Youth Initiative. This is an organization of young, dynamic professionals who all come from the rural area around Elandsdoorn and have made their way. The Ndlovu Care Group supports and partners with the youth organization. Of course, Hugo Tempelman’s focus is not exclusively on mother-child care and AIDS prevention, but also on the development of children and young people. The aim is to ensure that these children can go to school and secure a job and a future with vocational training.
The members of the BYI are the first generation that can give something back. These young people come back after their training and help their communities to develop further. This is where Hugo and Liesje’s 22 years of continuous and sustainable work pays off. The members of BYI have all managed to leave their rural, poor lives behind and lead successful professional lives in the city. But they have not forgotten where they come from. Above all, they want to show the children and young people in the region the opportunities and possibilities, the world that is open to them if they study hard and work hard. The initiative wants to make a difference and the Career Expo is an important step in this direction.
Lea, who is currently completing her voluntary diaconal year at the Ndlovu Care Group, describes her impression in her blog: “Interesting: as a former high school graduate now in the same situation, I decide on a course of study or an apprenticeship in Germany mainly out of interest. Financial prospects do play a role – but for most people, it’s first and foremost about finding what we enjoy.
A real privilege. Things are different in South Africa, an emerging country. “What does our country need?” is the first question; the weakening industry needs to be boosted, so highly educated humanities graduates or even artists have little or significantly worse chances on the job market than, for example, a good craftsman. In fact, students here are advised to choose a profession purely on the basis of future prospects.”
The work with children and young people in Elandsdoorn is beginning to bear fruit. We urgently need your donations so that we can continue to work here and report positive results. Thank you very much for your support!
