Traveller’s blog no 15 - Amukelani

Tuesday, 29 April 2008 | posted by Matt_BC
General, Guildford 2008

If not you, who? If not now, when?

"If not you, who? If not now, when?" I remember glancing at these very words on a large billboard from a cab, not knowing that the very words would be looking back at me in the months to come. It had only been a few weeks prior to leaving South Africa for London that I had noticed these overawing words. However, it was only until I met fifty-nine (plus two) young individuals from forty-three different countries that I truly found the meaning of this remarkable riddle.

Before taking the left, and heading for the "Road to Davos" off-ramp, I had been a fairly conscious and active individual, except that I had limited myself and had not fully applied the voice and reach that I had in my possession as a young person. Poetry was my sense of refuge and also a sense of expression shared between myself and other individuals that had witnessed the rapidly-changing world that had been moving from "what is" to what would soon become "what was". Through our written verses, we revolutionised our view of the world using our words of expression to communicate important messages, and yet one question remained - how far can we reach?

It was only when I met fifty-nine (plus two) other young people - Asania, Ben: I wouldn't want to imply that you are old, hehe - from the entire globe that I truly discovered the answer to that question. It was then when I realized the little contribution that one can make multiplied by sixty and sixties more can cover the globe with tons of change. I discovered that change when I met the guys at Guildford, with every story that all had to tell. From tackling Climate Change to dealing with Human Rights; from educating impoverished communities to uplifting marginal societies, everyone I met at Guildford had a truly remarkable and inspiring story to tell, and it was through those stories and the courage and compassion that accompanied them that I realised that young people are taking initiative and I was one of them.

Post my return to South Africa, I have invested more of my time to helping the community. I am currently working with Junior Achievement South Africa, as Chair of the Youth Council, on initiatives that groom, educate and support young individuals through entrepreneurial education and fundamental entrepreneurial networks, and being a part of this group of people that helps others to realize and activate their entrepreneurial flair is truly fulfilling.

Also, I am currently working on setting up a computer literacy centre at a local church in the community. The computer literacy centre will focus on educating the youth in the community, and other young people in neighbouring impoverished communities, on the essentials of computer literacy. I hope to accomplish a sustainable result through this project - to empower and motivate the youth to further skill themselves by seeking temporary jobs on weekends after training, while studying, especially those jobs that are administrative and could lead to future career development through the establishment of vital and ongoing relationships between the trainees and prospective employers.

I must thank the British Council, the "organizing and projects delivery committee" - Caroline, Matt, Steve, Dave, Louise, Felicity, John, Linda, Asania and Ben for a great programme, and of course to all participants - my dearest activist family - keep on doing the value-adding work that you do in your communities. If not you, who? If not now, when?

Much love and respect
Amu