Sithembile Ndlovu: I’m fulfilled when I see a smile on a child’s face
[bctt tweet=”Life trials inspired the dream, while growing up there were always funerals at home” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Sithembile Ndlovu is a qualified Child and Youth Care Practitioner and a young Social Entrepreneur from Dassenhoek in Kwa-Zulu Natal. She is a co-founder of Sithuthukile PreSchool and Eliny’ithuba NPO in KwaNdengezi near Pinetown. Sithembile is future-oriented and passionate about developing, restoring, advocating for as well as educating children and youth at risk. She hopes to make the world a place where women and children are safe from sexual violence. This is because she herself has been a victim of sexual violence and has experienced some of the darkest moments of her life. This did not break her, instead it motivated her to help others who have gone through similar situations as well as ensure that the same doesn’t happen to others. Read about how she tirelessly works towards fighting new HIV infections, political liberty and advancing youth leadership skills by volunteering her time to a range of organisations. Has helping the youth and children always been your dream? While growing up I dreamed of being a psychologist, I always wanted to help people but I was not specific about the age group. What inspired this dream? Life trials inspired the dream while growing up there were always funerals at home. I was born in a family of six; my parents, myself and three siblings. Unfortunately, all my siblings passed away before I even turned 10 years old and from then onwards I became the only child with no brother or sister to help me through life. In my early 20s I was sexually and violently abused and I almost lost my life. My life was falling apart and I was in and out of hospital throughout 2011. I was infected with TB and in June 2012 I lost my mother through diabetes. Life was difficult in a way that I had to be booked for counselling sessions at the Open Door Crisis Centre in Pinetown for a while. While attending these sessions I was introduced into a group of young girls who were going through similar situations. In my early 20s I was sexually and violently abused and I almost lost my life. My life was falling apart and I was in and out of hospital throughout 2011. I was infected with TB and in June 2012 I lost my mother through diabetes. Life was difficult in a way that I had to be booked for counselling sessions at the Open Door Crisis Centre in Pinetown for a while. While attending these sessions I was introduced into a group of young girls who were going through similar situations. After hearing their different stories week after week I knew I had to do something about it. It broke my heart to realise how much trauma children, youth, and women go through with all the abuse and inequality happening in South Africa. From then onwards I wanted to make a difference, to change lives and to advocate for the rights of women and children. I then decided to go back to University and study Child and Youth Development. [bctt tweet=”It broke my heart to realise how much trauma women go thru with the abuse & inequality in SA” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What would you like to see change in the world that would make the lives African woman better? I would like to see a change in people’s perspective about the strength of a woman. Women are taken for granted in many spheres of life resulting in gender inequality. I would like to see female excellence rising all around the world, with no gender-based violence and cruelty against women and children. I would like to live in an Africa where the peace and the security of women is a priority for everyone. [bctt tweet=”Women are taken for granted in many spheres of life resulting in gender inequality @OwakhoNdlovu ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell me more about your involvement with Progressive Youth Africa, SADC youth network, and the Ethekwini Youth sector. Progressive Youth Africa is championed by proactive youth in the pursuit of political liberty in Africa. it is present in all 54 countries in the African continent and each country has one ambassador who then acts as a President for their country platform. I was selected as an ambassador for South Africa in 2016 and my role is to assemble highly courageous youth capable of pioneering change for a prosperous South Africa. So far I have gathered 45 young great minds from different provinces in South Africa who are undertaking amazing initiatives in their respective communities. We formed the SADC Youth Network during the YALI regional leadership centre program in South Africa in February 2016 with fellow YALI alumni with an aim to collaborate ideas to deal with social issues facing the youth in the Southern Africa region. We want to increase youth participation and representation at high-level meetings; to identify and bridge the gaps in policies and to allow the youth to participate in the formulation of policies, and to be a platform where we can discuss regional integration issues on both national and international levels. We have managed to influence more than 500 innovative young people in the Southern Africa region to join our network. I joined the Ethekwini Youth Centre after the 21st International Aids conference in Durban by invitation. I am involved in the provincial youth initiative that encourages young people to work together in order to implement the resolutions of the conference to stop HIV transmission by 2030. Particularly in Kwa-Zulu Natal as we have the highest percentage of transmission of people below the age of 35. What are your roles in these organisations? I help youth-led organisations professionalise their work by sharing my expertise and experience. I assist in reviewing business plans, funding proposals and offer mentorship to those in need. In addition, I advise and advertise available opportunities to young people and enhance self-development, I also recommend them to potential employers.