In his inaugural SONA, President Cyril Ramaphosa said “Our most grave and most pressing challenge is youth unemployment. It is therefore a matter of great urgency that we draw young people in far greater numbers into productive economic activity”
We see here (photos refers) new 2018 graduates from enke: Make Your Mark (enke)’s Catalyst Programme who have demonstrated self-belief and capability to identify and access opportunities to improve their future and that of others. The young Catalysts whose class of 2017 was made possible with funding from the Diageo Empowerment Trust of South Africa have been able to lay the foundation and conceptualise their social impact initiatives which they exhibited during enke’s Catalyst Innovation Showcase that was held in Braamfontein (Saturday, 17 March which was also graduation day for these young Catalysts).
The enke: Catalyst Programme is designed to bring young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) out of the margins and back into the system. The six months programme for 18-25-year-old, youth NEET, is an experience in personal development, social impact and guided coaching to increase the likelihood of conversion to employment, education and training.
Since 2009 enke has worked with over 2000 young people who have generated over 700 social impact and enterprise projects that have had an impact on over 51 000 people in communities all over South Africa.
The Diageo Empowerment Trust of South Africa’s interest in supporting such an initiative is driven by their intention to stimulate community economies, create local jobs and ultimately increase the national gross domestic product. The Trust’s manager Sinethemba Mafanya says: “By supporting young talent we will be helping them unlock their potential to achieve even greater things in their chosen fields of interest. The concepts showcased at enke’s Catalyst Innovation Showcase strongly demonstrate the brilliant and innovative spirit young people possess.”
