Youth Must Flourish: We Are Great!!!

I was honoured to have been asked to speak at the monthly Ekasi Business Network in Khayelitsha last night. Not so much because it gave me another opportunity to sell BlackReign Communications but because as I spoke to the young people in attendance, I could see myself in them.

I must thank Luvuyo Rani of Silulo Ulutho Technologies for entrusting his brainchild - Ekasi Business Network-to us for as of next month, BlackReign Communications will take to the front line in designing and delivering the network sessions. We are ready.

So, I was asked to take the place of our keynote speaker who couldn't make it to the event due to business commitments, and tell the story of BlackReign Communications. Our story is similar to other stories you will hear from any other young kid in the ghetto. We realised how great we were. Of course, we could not have realised this until we tested ourselves. Test ourselves, we did and we were even more convinced of our greatness in what we do and in our niche market.

After my brief moment on the podium and after the session had ended, a boy came rushing into the venue at which we had held our event. He was rushing so he would not miss the session but unfortunately, the session had ended. This guy is only a grade eleven chap and has so many business ideas. Upon hearing of the network sessions, he wanted to be part of them.

This young man exhibited the spirit necessary to flourish in anything you decide. He did not sit and wait when he heard of the event; he went to the place to find out for himself. He showed what it is to be a 'Go-Getter'. There are many like him among us but they need to be afforded a space to be the 'Go-Getters' they are. Network sessions, workshops- anything which can get people together to seek solutions to problems- need to be a thing of a norm in our communities.

They need not necessarily be of business nature. There are social innovators out there; there are gender-sensitive organisations; there are public health activists out there. Get everyone. Build your communities with the skills you have and according to the specific needs of your locale. Young people have a responsibility to determine the outlook of the future in all spheres of mortal life.

We are great! Our country boasts some of the most transformative laws to enable ALL young people and every person with business interests, to flourish. Young people need to take advantage of these and I want to be part of that revolution.

I will be looking forward to seeing more young people who want to talk about their business successes and challenges and hopefully, together, we can come up with lasting and sustainable solutions. 

I will post an update on the date of the next Ekasi Business Network in due time. 

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