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Afrika Tikkun Announces 30 Year Milestone: Developing A Brighter Future For South Africa’s Youth From Cradle To Career

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Afrika Tikkun Announces 30 Year Milestone: Developing A Brighter Future For South Africa’s Youth From Cradle To Career:

17 July 2024, Johannesburg: As the nation grapples with ongoing stark inequalities, pervasive poverty and a dire youth unemployment rate, Afrika Tikkun, a leading youth development non-profit organisation, marks its 30-year legacy of creating holistic development, sustainable impact and tackling South Africa’s (SA’s) entrenched socio-economic disparities to foster an equitable society for all.

The country’s transition to democracy 30 years ago marked the beginning of a new era, one that promised equality and opportunities for all its citizens. Similarly, Afrika Tikkun’s inception 30 years ago was fuelled by a vision to uplift SA’s most vulnerable, ensuring that the promise of democracy reaches every child and young adult, regardless of their socio-economic background, breaking the cycle of generational poverty.

“Underpinned by the belief that every child and youth have the right to thrive, Afrika Tikkun seeks to serve, and we serve to impact! As mere facilitators, we nurture and develop SA’s young people, enabling them to discover their truest potential and realise a better future,” says Marc Lubner, Executive Deputy Chairperson, Afrika Tikkun.

Operating in nine centres across SA, Afrika Tikkun provides education, nutrition, health, social services and skills development to disadvantaged children and youth. Its unique Cradle-to-Career 360° model is a comprehensive approach to child and youth development, offering a set of comprehensive programmes to counter poverty and inequality, actively working towards the reduction of youth unemployment in a sustainable manner.

Afrika Tikkun’s programmes consider the needs of young individuals across different stages of their lives, from preschool to high school, followed by a post matric programme offering jobs skills training and driving job placements. “Our programmes culminate in the development of talented and disciplined youths, instilled with good values from an early age. These individuals are brimming with potential and ready to meet the in-demand skills needed from SA’s labour pool,” says Dr. Onyi Nwaneri, Group CEO of Afrika Tikkun.

Over the last 30 years, the organisation has enriched the lives of over 325,000 young people, served twenty-five million nutritious meals, distributed over 77,000 food parcels, provided social support services to approximately 105,000 families and conducted over 15,000 primary healthcare interventions.

Despite these achievements, there is still significant progress that needs to be made, SA’s unemployment rate of 33% is the highest globally and our youth unemployment rates are even more alarming. Partnering with government’s Youth Employment Service (YES) programme, Afrika Tikkun aims to create substantial work opportunities for unemployed youth through its Head Start Programme.

“Investing in skills development and vocational training equips youths to navigate the demands of an evolving global economy. The YES initiative seeks not only to improve the lives of young people but also to assist in the expansion of enterprises in which they are employed. Placement into well-suited employment requires an investment over time that provides a seamless transition from infancy to career,” says Nwaneri.

Afrika Tikkun is an advocate for partnership-focused initiatives and the power of collaboration in creating sustainable socio-economic solutions. “Partnerships with the private sector; government; other NGOs; and civil society are critical to advancing our country. Nelson Mandela, our Chief Patron in Memoriam, showed SA that sustainable change comes through collaboration. We exemplify the fact that collective efforts can achieve extraordinary outcomes,” Lubner adds.

In recognition of its 30th anniversary, Afrika Tikkun has launched a “What Afrika Tikkun Means to Me” campaign, a tribute to countless real-life stories of hope, resilience and success. “Featuring a series of events, testimonials and multimedia content, the campaign highlights inspiring testimonials and success stories from talented young people who’ve been part of our journey, illustrating the significance and scale of our support programmes.,” says Nwaneri.

Having joined the Afrika Tikkun programme 25 years ago, when he was merely five years old, one beneficiary, Abraham Langa, is a true testament to the power of Afrika Tikkun’s Cradle-to-Career Model. Langa shares his experience of how Afrika Tikkun helped him escape the jaws of poverty and propelled him to achieve his dream job as a UIF Labour Specialist. “It is because of Afrika Tikkun that I dared to dream, and I am now well on my path to a successful life and a prosperous future.”

Afrika Tikkun remains steadfast in its commitment to create an equal society through impact, empowerment and transformation, and calls on the people of SA to support its initiatives, committing to working together to build a nation where hope prevails and potential flourishes.

Visit Afrika Tikkun to find out more or contribute.

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Author: Afrika Tikkun Afrika Tikkun from Angelfish PR & Events on behalf of Afrika Tikkun.

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The Oriental Plaza: A Phoenix in Fordsburg

If Johannesburg is a city of forced displacements, the Oriental Plaza is its most resilient response. While the Rand Club was built for the elite and Ponte for the “jet-set,” the Oriental Plaza was born from the trauma of the Group Areas Act—a piece of Apartheid legislation designed to geographically separate the races. Yet, in true Johannesburg fashion, what was intended as a tool of containment and financial ruin for the Indian community transformed into one of the most vibrant, independent commercial powerhouses in the country.

The story of the Plaza begins with the destruction of Pageview, affectionately known as Fietas. In the mid-20th century, Fietas was a legendary multicultural hub, centered around the bustling 14th Street. It was the city’s premier destination for textiles, clothing, and spices, where shoppers of all races would rub shoulders in a “jazzy, soulful” atmosphere. However, because Fietas was located so close to the white-only city center, the Apartheid government declared it a “white area” in 1962. The community fought back for decades, but by the 1970s, the bulldozers arrived. Homes were leveled, and the thriving traders of 14th Street were forcibly relocated to a purpose-built, modernist complex a kilometer away in Fordsburg: the Oriental Plaza.

The government’s intent was cynical: by moving the traders into a controlled environment with high state-mandated rents and strict rules on what could be sold, they hoped to break the back of Indian commercial dominance. The early years were devastating; many businesses folded, and the “Grand Bazaar” felt like a sterile warehouse compared to the street-level energy of Fietas. However, the traders refused to vanish. They eventually won the right to purchase their own shops, making the Oriental Plaza unique among South African malls because it is owned by the shopkeepers themselves rather than a corporate landlord. This ownership model changed everything. Without the burden of massive monthly mall rentals, the 360+ independent stores can offer prices that national retailers cannot touch, turning the Plaza into a “bargain-hunter’s paradise” that draws millions of visitors a year.