Meet a Changemaker (4)

Thursday, 4 December 2008 | posted by Matt_BC
Activism, General, Guildford 2008

Hallo everyone

My name is Asanda; I'm 20 years old from Cape Town, South Africa. I am one of the Global-Changemakers bloggers which was selected in the Guildford 2008 group. For the website I will be blogging on youth perspectives and initiatives. This includes areas of leadership, governance, economics and entrepreneurship. Looking at how young people are designing and delivering social change actions that improve lives in communities and society at large. But most importantly, I intend to explore how youth leadership can turn adversity into opportunity.

A bit about myself, after matriculating (graduating) from Rhodes High School with merit and a distinction, I was awarded a scholarship by the Tertiary School of Business Administration here in my city, and I'm currently in my 3rd year of studies in a Bachelor of Business Administration. I can't complain much about the degree, I love the challenges and opportunities that it has presented, welcome all the high-pressured deadlines, and besides, it's something I've always wanted to study (after realizing journalism wasn't really for me, yah, but I'm a blogger??? rriiight)

I have been active in my community for the past uhhm, 4 years I'd say. My most recent work involves my involvement in the GCM-network, which opened other opportunities for me. Currently I am a Project Mentor for the International Climate Change Champions, another British Council project. This project gives youth a voice, increases positive media coverage and helps individuals, schools, communities and many others tackle climate change. I am also part of the project-strategy team for SIFE-TSIBA (Students In Free Enterprise). The project is new in the country, and I focus specifically on the programme called Banking on Our Future. Here the aim is to implement projects in the city that help young people as well as rural people to understand finance, educate them on how to sustain themselves and, at large, to facilitate the Province in meeting the MDGs, with poverty alleviation and education being the priority.

My career interests are in corporate governance as Organizational Change Management or Project Management. I intend on furthering my studies by obtaining a MBA, at the same time I'd like to do a Masters in Development Studies. Limboooo....

In my spare time I enjoy reading; on the train, bus, bed. My favourite books include I write what I like by Steve Biko, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and Public Power in the Age of Empire by Arundhati Roy. I am also an avid museum goer, love writing poetry and attending poetry sessions, and just being. Cape Town can be a very hot city, so my friends and I often spend lazy Sunday afternoons at the beach. Friendly and courteous by nature, I enjoy conversing with others and finding deeper and shared meaning in those interactions.