Hi, my name is Keletso Kgalema. I am a Youth Capital Campaigner and an activist based in Ga-Mampuru, Steelpoort, Limpopo. A fun fact about me is that I speak 10 of South Africa’s official languages and a bit of Shona. I am also learning Hindu.
In this post, I answer some burning questions about my experience as a Youth Capital Campaigner and my advocacy work.
⚙️ What are you doing in your community?
I am currently running a digital hub to bridge the digital divide in rural communities; the hub also creates a space for youth to engage and share their ideas as peer-to-peer relationships and education are essential. I have also partnered with high schools (both private and public) to help students prepare for their future and also for university applications; these sessions also provide a space where young people can access mental health support, as I find that it’s easy to overlook mental health when living in rural areas.
In terms of the Action Plan, I support #Bridge the information gap, #grow our circles and I am focused on helping youth by bridging the information gap also through networking to grow their circles and lastly supporting them beyond the classroom.
⚙️ Can you share some recent events or initiatives that you have worked on?
Young people face a wide range of socio-economic issues, and often feel helpless when they hit a snag, either at school or in their personal life. So I have recently partnered with certified NLP life coaches to help create a space where young people voice out their fears, and work on their self-esteem – the process empowers them to tackle issues head-on.
⚙️ To you, what does it mean to be a Campaigner with Youth Capital?
To me, being a Youth Capital Campaigner means creating a space for youth to be the leaders that will be the change of this country. It means allowing yourself to learn more to improve in different aspects.
⚙️ What do you hope to achieve as a Youth Capital Campaigner?
My biggest goal is to create spaces where the youth takes charge as I believe Youth Capital has so much faith in youth’s potential to transform our country.
⚙️ When, where and how did you start your project?
During the mist of the pandemic, I witnessed how young people in rural communities were excluded because of the digital divide; this had a heavy mental health impact on young people too. This is what helped me get started; after deciding what I wanted to do, I made contact with my network to find solutions that could tackle these problems.
⚙️ Why did you become a Youth Capital Campaigner?
Youth Capital creates a huge network for peer learning and support and it also encourages young leaders to create spaces and be able to engage and communicate with experts to help decrease unemployment in the country.
⚙️ What is your tip for young people who also want to advocate for change in their community?
Community development needs passionate people who do not expect anything from anyone who does it for a better South Africa. Have a teachable spirit, and be an effective communicator.
Connect with other Youth Capital Campaigners by joining our WhatsApp Group or Facebook Group.