Bring Back our South Africans...

Having seen the true unity from the Americans, I could not help but feel joy in their unity! I want to see this in South Africa, I want to feel this in South Africa. Will I ever see this in South Africa, what should we be doing in order to see this in South Africa? Although we have built the foundations of a democratic country, we need to build a united people in the Country. So South Africa is being built, it is now time to build South Africans.

There are great lessons to be learnt from men like Giuseppe Garibaldi. Who was an Italian General and politician who played a large role in the history of Italy. Through his role in uniting an Italy divided in two sees him as one of Italy's "fathers of the fatherland". When Garibaldi finished his military mission in securing independence in Italy; he said, “We have made Italy, now let’s make Italians”.

Italy was homogenous in its division, on the other hand there is a multiplicity within the division in South Africa. There are divisions based on class, race, and culture and in many other ways. We need something that is going to bring people in South Africa together. We need people to be united as a country and also at the same time love the country that we all call home.

There is a great need for social cohesion. I see a great need for South Africa to relook how it promotes an inclusive society for all. Through our education system. At the very foundational academic level students should be taught an inclusive history that celebrates all struggle heroes. There is also a great need to use sports and arts as a unifying factor in the country. We need to promote local arts that unite people from a disintegrated society and look at encouraging people to start living outside their comfort zone.

Earlier this year the South African President remarked earlier this year; "…we will also continue to promote the Constitution in schools and ensure that our children grow up with positive values and love for their country and its people”. If the president is prioritizing this in his next term, people need to come alongside and get their hands dirty. In other words we have a basis for patriotism in South Africa.

Our Constitution built the foundation for a free and open society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights. Our constitution is renowned worldwide as very progressive. We need every South African from all sectors of society to objectively submit to our constitution. When everyone submits objectively to the constitution; real reconciliation will begin giving birth to South Africans.

South Africans will be born.

Building South Africans in Africa

My SAWIP journey continues… The last five weeks in the United States of America have been incredible. But like all good things, a wonderful part of my adventure has ended. I am still soaking and reflecting on the adventure that has passed. As there has been many things to write home about and also a deepening and changing of perspective when it comes to development in Africa. Due to the fact that while in the US, I was able to interact with so many well-informed thought leaders on US-Africa policy. This truly was a great privilege and also being able to continue these conversations even back here at home.

I am also reflecting on having had an amazing opportunity of professional work exposure has left me thinking on what does this all mean. Being placed in a government agency (USADF) that assists in supporting African-led development has left me very optimistic about US-Africa development partnerships.

In addition, I was left in awe when I saw that my work colleagues within my office space shared a deep love for Africa. It was quite incomprehensible to see people who have grown up in much developed society with deep sincerity and passion for grassroots development in Africa. These were individuals who were more than willing to get their hands dirty, living among the marginalized in order to assist in their entrepreneurial enterprises. I look forward to discussing ways in which we can form progressive partnerships in the future.

One thing, I take away from the average person in the streets in America is the deep sense of patriotism for their country. I saw this on July 4^th and also at the Baseball game that we went to. Never had I seen it before… People of all age, gender and race united with a clenching of bodies in their deep love for their country and shouting: U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!!

There is a lot of magic in sport and youth participation in sports within their communities. Not every citizen will simply take me for my word especially in academia when I say there is magic in the involvement of youth in sports. This is a great prerequisite for organizations who partake in sports for development. How do we measure the magic that comes through the participation of young people in sport? Not everyone believes in magic, not everyone is a sportsman or woman. There is a great need for organizations within the sports for development realm to make this magic visible for all to see. More importantly for heads of state and also the people who hold the funding for development.

Not everyone will take my word but at least hear the words of our most love Nelson Mandela. I quote, ‘Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope, where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.’

What I take from the first International day for Sport for development and peace, is the fact that I believe that “Sport has its own language, and everyone can speak it. It’s a language of hope, where anything is possible.”

People who partake in sport have the chance to improve their communication skills and gain valuable experience in partnership and teamwork. Sport brings the masses and together and often people who might not have had a chance to meet and allows them an opportunity to share their experiences of triumphs and failures. These communal expertise and experiences are easily exchangeable to other aspects of life and may improve a person’s ability to succeed as a student, employee, and community member, or advocate for a particular cause.

Much work must still be done to fully link the international movement to grassroots organizations in the field and to bring the sport and development sectors together. If carried out wisely, however, sports programming has the potential to play a crucial role to play fostering international development and peace.

However until of late, sport has remained on the secondary activities of mainstream humanitarian and development programming, considered a luxury in the context of other development objectives. Now, though, there is a growing understanding that sport does not have to compete with other priorities but can actually be a means for addressing them. Now sport will take a lead in development on a global scale.

On Olympic Day, the 23^rd of June, I had an awesome opportunity to listen to a panel discussion at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. This is where fellow SAWIPper Joshua Nott is doing his work placement; I was incredibly stoked as he managed to join me for the discussion. The panel discussion was chaired by Nicole Goldin who is the director for the youth and security initiative at the center. Her guests were Paul Teeple, Awista Ayub and Briana Scurry. The talk focused on the use of sport in order to promote gender equality and also ensure social progress.

The panel was involved in different regions of the globe advocating for the use of sport as a catalyst to social change. With over 40 years of experience in the field of sport for development, the panel had a very robust and informative discussion. The theme of the discussion moved around the use of sports for building self-esteem. ‘Also how it provides an alternative to risky or anti-social behavior amongst young people, creating sufficient structure, discipline, and incentive to keep some people away from drugs, violence, or criminal activity’. The issues which were being discussed spoke to what I am currently doing in South Africa.

At this point of the discussion, I am hoping you are asking yourself, why sport? Why don’t we simply the youth within the townships of South Africa in schools and educate them? Surely the educators will deal with the problem. Is that not what they are trained to do?

However with a drop-out rate of over forty percent, South Africa needs more than just textbooks to keep the young people in the classroom. I believe that sport is that catalyst that has the potential to keep young people in classrooms.

My answer to the above questions is fully vested in my belief in the magic that sport brings. There is a great deal of magic that lies in sport and especially when young people partake in sport. Sport has many life skills to teach young people, changing the way they approach challenges and the way they interact with others.

I believe that sport fosters resilience among young people and enables them to build leadership and teamwork skills. These partnerships will ensure that they become leaders in their respective communities and also agents of change that will inspire a generation that will follow in their footsteps.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act, AGOA is law that was signed by United States (U.S) congress on May 18^th 2000. This act seeks to create tangible incentives for African countries to continue their efforts in building a free market system. However, it was not highlighted when the bill was signed on who ultimately benefits from such a trade agreement with an African country. The act enabled African firms to export into the United States at a duty free rate.

The benefits of the act is that it acts as an incentive for African countries ensure that there is a rule of law within the country in order to be eligible for the duty free exports and imports. The benefits are beyond the economics within the country, the act indirectly betters the life of ordinary citizens within a country. Also, the act ensures that the barriers for investment and trade in the US are eliminated. This extends the market size of the industries beyond the borders of the countries and ultimately creates jobs and the Gross Domestic Product.

The act also ensures that the countries who want to work with the U.S make efforts to combat corruption. This requirement from African country trade is seemingly the most essential as the continent is plagued with corruption on all levels of government and private institutions. I believe that if an African country wants to lead the world when it comes to economic growth. It will have to invest resources into ensuring accountability and transparency in different sectors of leadership.

In the same light I am equally compelled to look at what incentives then do countries who do not trade with the U.S have? Why would they invest in ethical training of its leaders in both government and business?

The truth however is that these countries have a Constitution that they need to uphold for law and order. The Constitution is enough. Countries in Africa do not need a free market system which exports primary goods only to import tertiary goods at a marked-up price. They need self-initiated constitutional reform that will ensure that basic human rights are respected even with an left-winged and ailing economy.

On the 5th April 2014, we had our second SAWIP session. The topic was on Community Engagement. I was reminded that there are many people who are aware of the socio-economic context in South Africa, and who are doing amazing things in trying to effect change. I also learnt that the importance of communities partnering together in order to bring about change.

On my first week in Washington DC, I have been humbly reminded of the importance of community service and listening to the needs of the community. I started my professional work exposure at the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) this week. This is where I realized how such basic community development model can be scaled up in order to bring about positive change across Africa.

At the same time I realised how much has been invested in Africa, a lot of people believe in Africa and the potential it holds. Even though the grass may appear greener on the other side. With seven of the fastest growing economies coming from Africa, the world knows who will be the future economic power houses. However, Africa has its fair share of problems which need to be dealt with properly in order to catalyse growth within the continent.

Most of the problems in Africa are related to ethical governance of public resources and conflict between neighbouring nations. Also, a large percentage of the population living in extreme poverty. The conflict in Africa often prevents foreign businesses from expanding into African markets. Africa needs foreign business in order to create more much needed jobs and also increased skills within the continent.

The funding which comes from foreign investment from developed nations is firmly targeted to building African capacity. The funding is earmarked mostly for infrastructural development in order to ensure that there are pathways for business development. Therefore Africa will rise, Africa is rising!

Ready to go…

After months of hard work, working on the SAWIP curriculum we have finally completed the first stage of the program. We have seen the program surpass all our expectations, every session being critical to our self-development and proved pivotal in uniting us as the team of 2014. We are now about to start the second leg of the program. We are excited about this leg of the program, preparing for a trip to the United States of America, the day is almost finally upon us all.

From being complete strangers at start of the program during selection camp, we have grown as a team to become more united as ever. With lots of room for growth, I believe that the foundation has been laid and a safe space has been created. The relationships which we have formed will enable us to move forward in a united manner. These relationships I believe are the required catalysts that will make out stay in the United States a success.

There are a few things that I look forward to the most during my stay in the Washington DC. The first one is undoubtedly my professional work placement. What excites me most about this is that I will be in a professional working environment and have lots of opportunities to learn and also network with people within the firm. My professional work placement will be at the United States African Development Foundation (USADF). This is a governmental organisation that seeks to create pathways for development and prosperity for under-served communities in Africa.

On another note, I will be staying with an American Family in Washington DC for six weeks. I look forward to creating a relationships with my host family. The thought of having an extended American family is quite exciting.

In ending, I would like to thank you for reading this email. Stay tuned for many exiting stories about my stay in DC, hopefully you will hear many good stories. As a country we have come a long way, opportunities like these are very hard to come by. I thank everyone that has supported me in this journey and I look forward to grabbing the opportunity with both hands and making the most out of everyday!

Serving who… for what…

Lately I have been reflecting on whether it is possible to serve people who I do not interact with on a grassroots level. This is a thought which followed a discussion on responsible social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship is entrepreneurship that seeks to challenge the status quo and create inclusive business models for previously disadvantaged communities.

Who are you serving?

Many people have jumped onto the bandwagon seeking to create businesses within the townships and deep rural areas. Having seen some of these businesses, they keep their community interaction to a bare minimum. ‘Greetings sir, how can I help you today?’ and the odd ‘Thank you’. It reminds me of the early church in Africa. The early church in Africa failed to fully integrate itself with the communities it was seeking to serve. As a result many people failed to hear the message that it brought which created a barrier for the church from spreading rapidly into other communities.

What is your motive?

The current scenario with many businesses within the townships and rural areas of South Africa is quite obvious. People are seeking to make profit with the least community interaction. Why is the so much fear for community interaction? I am sure that there are a few plausible explanations to this question. However it is not mine to answer. The businesses which have answered the call for much needed sustainable economic development in previously disadvantaged communities within South Africa would need to answer. And until this question is answered, community members will look at the social entrepreneurs as foreigners seeking to make a profit out of their dire circumstances.

Abstract

Until these questions are answered and community interaction is not kept to a bare minimum. All the solutions that we can come up with will be abstract. When put into acid-test in the context of an actual community these solutions will always be innovative ideas. I believe the long term community interaction will provide a much needed contextualization for the ideas that we have. Also it will ensure that the motive for creating business is much deeper than money.

The great SAWIP session was so far magical, in a sense it made my history books become a reality. Yes, the history books were written on events that occurred not so long ago. Somehow the events written to be very academically correct and about numbers rather than the people who were affected. I went through my history books with very little emotional attachment to the victims of the holocaust.

We were all privileged to hear a first person account of the holocaust from a survivor by the name Miriam Lichterman. With baited breath the team listened as Miriam took us through the holocaust and told us of a remarkable story on how she survived.

I sat quietly waiting for Miriam to tell us how bad her persecutors were. Instead Miriam, showed me the bigger picture on how all humans are fallible. Yet in the midst of it all humanity has a goodness entrenched deep within the soul, no matter what happened to her and her family, Miriam believed in human goodness. She believed it was human goodness that brought her through the holocaust and it is a value which gives her hope of a better tomorrow.

The lesson which I take from our session at the Holocaust centre is that an injury to one is an injury to all. This is why we need servant leaders, who with humility will seek to fight to be the voice of the unheard. And most importantly seek to bring out the best in all people.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.

[Martin Niemöller (1892-1984)]

At this stage of my SAWIP journey, I can happily say that my journey has surpassed all my expectations. There has (sort of) never a dull moment with the SAWIP. ‘Sort of’ being an inside joke for the SAWIP team of 2014. The sessions which we had so far have shaped me in ways that I have never imagined. There is one session that I would like to highlight which for me personally set the bar thus far in terms of the amount of knowledge that I have gained.

This session was the visit to the Holocaust museum in Cape Town.

The session was facilitated by the ever capable Tracey and Richard. Their facilitation of the session left us all listening attentively to what they had to share. I think what helped me was the fact that I came into the venue with certain expectations. Being a holocaust centre, I expected the session to revolve around the atrocities of the past. To a very large degree I did not expect the holocaust to be made relevant to my life today. The focus being on the killing of almost 3 million Jews.

However, the session focused on how even today people are still victims and also even today people are still perpetuating negative stereotypes. Somehow I did not link the fact that this is exactly how the holocaust started. It started with the religious stereotyping, then with the killing of one Jewish person. From there one father, a family, a community and a religious group was affected. The killing of one Jewish person was the act which shaped the holocaust. The holocaust was much more than the killing of Jewish people. It was an attempt to completely dehumanize humans for their religious beliefs.

My community service activities have been mostly my engagement with Waves for Change. This is where I have been able to impart what I am learning at university with the coaches who have been developing agents of change in townships using surfing as a tool.

People are often confused when I tell them about township surfing. Most think that surfing does not belong in townships, akin to swimming in the dessert. The idea that such a ‘foreign’ sport could be used to educate South Africa's youth about critical life skills seems almost ludicrous.

True, there are very few black surfers in South Africa. Despite the country's wealth of beaches and beautiful coastlines, the sport lacks representation from its major ethnic group. Many people who live in the townships see it as an elitist pastime for ‘white’ people only. It also has little backing from on high. I am yet to hear of a politician who strongly advocates for water sports in South African townships. Many young people in these poor communities dream of becoming soccer players, and few have access to beaches or proper swimming facilities.

However, this is slowly starting to change. Waves for Change is bringing the surfing to communities where previously it was unknown. Since the programme started two years ago, two townships in the Western Cape - Masiphumelele and Khayelitsha - have begun to develop their own surfing culture. Unlike traditional surfing culture, township surfing builds a positive network for young people to help and support each other at the beach and in the community. The movement is led by local coaches who act as agents of change by becoming role models for the youngsters, and so work to build a lasting legacy for the sport.

In this way, surfing is becoming a tool for education and social change in the townships – places are notorious for their high murder rates and myriad problems with crime. Young people growing up in these communities struggle with drug addiction, gangs, and alcohol abuse. High unemployment rates, particularly among the youth, keep many trapped in this vicious cycle and shape the type of adults they ultimately become. This is why the townships need surfing: to draw in the masses of young people to teach them how to become the leaders of tomorrow.

That is not to say it has been smooth sailing to attract those young people to the beaches. While more people are killed in the townships than on the beaches each year, many still see them as more dangerous places than their communities. Because of this, many of the first youth surfers are the biggest risk takers I have ever met. Their ability to go beyond social norms and pathways in order to create a trail for others is commendable. The fact that many had absolutely no role models for what they are doing makes their efforts even more inspiring.

Already surfing is making a difference to South Africa's townships. It may take longer for township surfing to make a difference to the sport. But in the long run the marriage of the two will lead to increased investment from government to fund athletes and transformation. The sport will become more inclusive and so diverse enough to bear the South African flag.

This week’s session focused on social entrepreneurship and how the traditional business model is not perfect. The way in which competitive markets are structured, put greed above social and environmental factors. It got me thinking about innovative ways in which business can put social and environmental friendliness above profit.

Profit is general defined in business as the revenue leftover after the cost of manufacturing a good are covered. Quite often the leftover revenue is paid to the owners of the business and whatever is leftover is reinvested into expanding operations. However profit as traditionally defined is not really profit or surplus revenue. There are environmental and social costs that exist which are often not taken into account when the products are manufactured.

In economics, the external benefit or cost transferred in the production process is called an externality. An externality can be both positive and negative. In an industry where there is an external benefit, the government will often subsidize the costs in order to further the benefit to more of the population. For example, the government often subsidizes educational costs as the benefits of an educated labour industry is greater than the costs.

For a negative externality the government will regulate the industry through pigouvian taxes. The costs of producing the goods cannot be shown in accounting terms, the people and the environment will however experience these externalities. For example, a factory that releases polluted water to a drinking water dam is a form of a negative externality. Companies will often ignore these costs while a community faces the severe consequences of drinking polluted water. The mere acknowledgement of these costs will limit the dividends paid to shareholders and also possible funding to expand operations.

Surely then, profit is not simply a matter of generating surplus revenue without considering the environmental and social costs. A new business model is slowly making inroads to the mainstream economics. This model will ensure that profit is not a mere financial gain but also factors the environmental and social benefits. Therefore, we need to define real profit as the sum of the financial, environmental and social benefits. The three factors can no longer be looked upon independently, theses three factors will be key to sustainable growth globally.

On September 11 of 2001 an earth shattering event took place in the United States of America. The North and South towers of the World trade Center were attacked by terrorists who highjacked a United Airlines flight. This is arguably was the height of terrorism in the United States.

After over 13 years since incident, the new tower which is called the One World Trade Center is edging towards completion this year. The building of the new did not happen overnight. The construction team took years of planning before they laid the first brick. Most importantly, the team took four years constructing the foundation with precision. The foundation is ultimately what holds the building from falling. This is the most important phase of constructing any building and most importantly when you are planning on constructing the tallest building in the Western hemisphere.

On the same note, I look at leaders today in society as tall building that always stand out among the people in society. Some leaders will rise up overnight and so quickly will they fall unnoticed by many. Most often some leaders fall causing loud alarms globally to the lack of leadership.

On the same note, there are leaders who stand out but not because they are above the rest of the people in society. Quite often they catch people by surprise for their unconventional ways of thinking. These leaders act with humility and grace, ensuring that communities have a voice and their needs are met collectively.

What values do these leaders have?

Honesty

Respect

Integrity

Selflessness

Compassion

They have a set of values by which they live by and most importantly they are loyal to the people and their cause. In all the works that they perform, they will never compromise their values. Most importantly servant leaders examine their motives and ensure that they are acting under the right impulse. In addition, as leaders they have the courage to stand for what they believe in order to make a positive change the world.

Looking at the One World Trade Center, everyone would be taken aback by the spectacular height it has and not the foundation that holds it. However, the without the foundation the skyscraper will not be able to stand tall. Like the one World Trade Center, servant leaders cannot stand without an ethical moral basis which they apply daily. They are the foundation upon which we can build a better world for all.

Nelson Mandela once said; “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little does. Sport can awaken hope where previously there was only despair. Sport speaks to people in a language that nobody can understand”.

This quote clearly outlines the power of sport. In addition it can be argued that sport has the ability to break down barriers within communities. This was shown in the legacy of the 1999 Rugby World Cup. The world cup managed to use sport to unite a nation previously divided racism. The world cup united people from all walks of life regardless of race, religion, age or gender and celebrate the country’s’ victory. Suddenly at that moment of pure bliss race did not matter in South Africa. Celebrating the 20th year of freedom and democracy in South Africa today. I cannot help but reflect on the role that sport will play in taking South Africa forward.

The power of sport has also been seen in World Cups that are held in different sporting codes around the world. People are always united in passion and emotion event though they do not share the same language. This power is also illustrated in FIFA international soccer games where the captains of the two teams will speak out against racism before a match begins. In fact, sportsmen and women can use sport to spread positive messages to a global audience.

Once again, in a few weeks from the world will come to a standstill as it witness the FIFA world cup in Brazil. What positive message will the world hear? Or will the commercialisation of sport override the potential it has to leave a positive legacy for change?

Sport is a great tool that can be used when it comes to uniting young people and bringing communities closer together. Sport is the vehicle which can be used to ultimately spread awareness around pressing issues like rural development post-Apartheid in South Africa. In addition, it is a key agent to creating an enabling environment for young people to engage around the issues of development. The youth-centeredness of sport creates coherence with bearers of the legacy that will ultimately expand the development, globally and further. Due to the fact that young people are ultimately the future and there needs to be a common vision with the current leadership.

The vision of development from today’s current leaders will perish if the future which is in the hands of the youth is not empowered. On the other hand, sports draws in a mass amount of participation among the youth of the global community. The approach through sport will encompass more people quicker and raise more awareness. In my opinion, the youth of today have mastered social media for networking and collaboration. Through the use of social media the youth will take the power of sport and make it inclusive in all corners of the world.

-Words from the Father of the Nation at the Laureus Awards in 2000.

People from around the world have grown to love and respect one man who comes from South Africa. Around the world, Nelson Mandela is a hero for all. Nelson Mandela is seen as an international icon of peace and reconciliation. He is the type of leader who invited his former jailers to his inauguration as the first democratically elected President of the Republic of South Africa.

I highly doubt there is any negative publicity that you have heard about Nelson Mandela. His actions for some were shocking, as he always saw the greater consequence to his actions. I too love and respect him for the role that he played in uniting a divided nation. It is through this that he earned the title ‘Tata”- a true father of the nation. He endured all the suffering that he did so that all South Africans could inherit a free and democratic country. Like a good and loving father, he always wanted what was best for his children.

Nelson Mandela was a well-balanced leader. He was a leader who never lacked composure and was globally respected. He was a great leader who inspired the world. He was indeed a moral compass for many. Books have been written about him, songs sung and movies produced. He always fought the great fight for equality and justice. It is unlikely that any leader will ever match the stature of Nelson Mandela. His life makes me reflect upon what it is that will earn me the respect of people, and will motivate people to follow me as a leader?

Is it Love?

Does my love for humanity and people compel people follow me? Do I care so much about injustice and equality that people are inspired to do the same? Do people respect me for being warm, gentle, and loving?

Is it Fear?

Do people fear me so much that they are compelled to “respect” me? Am I so domineering that people cannot say no to anything I demand? Have I instilled so much fear in people that the mere mention of my name causes them to tremble from within?

Is it my Passion?

Does my passion for what I do motivate people to love and respect me? Do people view me as a leader? Have I found my passion and used it in a manner that inspires others to do the same?

There exist various polarities of good and bad characteristics of leadership. These are just some of the characteristics that enable leaders to gain followers, and determine whether leaders gain the respect of those they lead.

One of the reasons for this ineffective engagement is that people are often short-sighted in their quest to make a meaningful contribution to addressing poverty and its manifestations. This results in interventions that are not sustainable, and in projects that fade as quickly as they were started. Another reason for ineffective community engagement is that communities are often spoon-fed. E.M. Forster once said that “Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon”. Spoon-feeding results in communities learning to be dependent on aid rather than being equipped with the knowledge and skills that will enable communities to improve their standard of living. Spoon-feeding interventions fail to facilitate resilience and to enable hope.

Another reason for ineffective community engagement is the individualistic nature of interventions. People and organisations working in partnership with communities are not making enough of a collective effort to create an enabling environment for those communities.

As a member of the SAWIP 2014 Team, I am thinking about how we, the SAWIP 2014 Team, can engage with a community this year in a manner that will be effective and sustainable. How can we ensure that we design and implement a community engagement project that is a collective effort, inclusive of all stakeholders, and allows everyone to contribute equitably?

On a broader level, one thing I am sure of is that there is no simple solution that will address South Africa’s socio-economic challenges.

“Six-month leadership development programme”, “community service”, and “professional exposure”; these are the words that engaged my mind as I paced down the buzzing lecture halls towards my lecture. The words stayed with me as I settled down at the back of the class, unnoticed by my lecturer and without disturbing the class. Instead of listening attentively, I drifted away as I thought about the opportunity that the words represented. This was the start of my SAWIP journey.

After spending a week researching SAWIP and finding out more about the eligibility requirements and application process, I felt ready to begin my application. The application form proved to be a worthwhile exercise in reflection and self-learning. In attempt to be optimistic, I tried convincing myself that regardless of the outcome of my application I could at least be grateful for the opportunity to fill in the application form.

A few days after completing my application, I submitted it. Shortly thereafter, I received my first call from Kim Williams, SAWIP’s Program Manager. With bated breath, I listened nervously and carefully to the voice which opened the door to the second phase of the selection process, the interview.

At this stage, I felt that the stakes were raised to a whole new level. For the first time, I realised the fear of failure which came into play. My desire to be part of the SAWIP 2014 Team was stronger, and seemed within reach. Having had courage to start the journey, I needed the will to complete it.

A few days after the interview, I received confirmation that I had made it to the Selection Camp. The Selection Camp brought together a dynamic group of 32 young South Africans. Spending a weekend with inspiring young people was a wonderful experience.

-Picture from the SAWIP Selection Camp 2014.

Now that I have made the SAWIP 2014 Team, I realise the truth that it was written in the clouds before I was even conceived. I was born to be amongst a great team of change agents. To my surprise, I have come to realise that this is only the beginning. Being a SAWIP 2014 Team Member is only the start of a journey.