Amidst much excitement members of the Bochum community, together with local youth and a number of key stakeholders, including the Mayor of Blouberg Municipality, gathered to celebrate the official launch of the Love Life Youth Services Centre.
The premises has been provided by the Blouberg Municipality, whilst the extensive renovation has been funded by Kurisani Youth Development Trust, from dividends received from its shareholding in Soutpan Solar Power.
“The Centre will act as a support for youth employment and an incubation centre for information sharing. The different programmes will also help unlock the minds of young people by motivating them and uplifting their spirits and provide an information sharing platform for local young people to become aware of opportunities available to them,” said Dr Linda Nkomo, Love Life CEO.
This youth centre provides essential services to the community’s youth, encompassing medical health, including a lay counsellor; a Skills Development Centre (Computer Lab) for young people to be developed and acquire skills such as computer literacy; an school aftercare programme, where young people will be visiting the centre after classes to be assisted with school work and to learn from each other; and an information centre, where different stakeholders and partners can share their different information such as bursaries, or any other opportunities that can benefit the youth.
One of the highlights of this Centre is the provision of sport and gym facilities on the premises, to allow for the implementation of Love Life’s lifestyle programme. This is to encourage exercising and help youth maintain healthy lifestyles, both physically and mentally.
An off-shoot of this centre includes the In-School Programme, which is where Love Life Ground Breakers (Implementers) visit schools to share information such as healthy lifestyle, debates, career planning, and training school leaders (SRC).
Participating stakeholders, partners and interested parties at the event included members and respresentatives from: Globeleq South Africa; Capricorn FET College (Senwabarwana Campus); Venetia Mine; Nal’ibali; Anova (Province and local); Senwabarwana Victim Support Centre; and local NGO’s.
In additional to this invited government department: MEC for Health, Limpopo; Provincial Department of Arts and Culture; Department of Basic Education; Provincial and District Youth Officers( Premiers office); National Youth Development Agency; District Youth and adolescent co-ordinator (Department of Health); and the Department of Social Development.
