Cause Index

Inkululeko In Mind

Inkululeko in Mind is an organisation for young people currently working in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha. We aim to change young people's perceptions about their lives, to educate and inspire them to overcome the difficult environment in which they have grown up so that they can be empowered to reconstruct the present and shape the future.

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Kuyasa is an area of Khayelitsha, one of the largest townships in Cape Town. Unlike most of Khayelitsha, Kuyasa is a formal settlement with roads, lights and brick houses. It was established in two phases between 2001 and 2006 for residents who were living in informal settlements in Site C, Khayelitsha. However, most people living in Kuyasa are poor or working class and many are unemployed. Like most areas of Khayelitsha, Kuyasa does not have its own police station and it suffers from high levels of violent crime including murder, rape and robbery. Gang fights between school age children occur regularly.
Consequently, young people leaving school in Kuyasa do not have many opportunities. Jobs are hard to find and there is a lack of public facilities. The environment means that young people are often left feeling hopeless and rejected and turn to alcohol and drug abuse - many young black people do not have opportunities to be proud of themselves. This negative cycle means that young people are not able to transform the society in which they live into one in which they would like to live into.

PROPOSAL NARRATIVE
At Inkululeko in Mind, we believe that young people are the trustees of the nation and the solution lies in educating young people and changing the way that they think about themselves, that the power to change society starts from within. We aim to build a new young person— one who is free in mind—who can help make the change that is needed in the community by changing themselves first. In the first instance this means providing opportunities for young people to educate themselves—giving them access to information and ideas with an emphasis on critical thinking and engaging each other in constructive debate. Inkululeko in Mind aims to bring hope for the hopeless by establishing a welcoming stable environment where they are respected and find acceptance. In addition, Inkululeko In Mind aims to fill young black people with dignity and pride. Inkululeko in Mind will encourage, motivate, and share positive attitudeswith young people to inspire them to became leaders.

OUR ORGANISATION
Inkululeko in Mind (IIM) is an organisation based in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha. It was formed in September 2012 by a group of young people, who recognized the challenges of growing up in the area and wanted to make a difference. From the early days, five young people took the lead in developing the structure and objectives of the organisation: Monde Kula (23), Mosuli Qhaba (23), Masixole Mlandu (22), Thanduxolo Mngqawa (25) and Athenkhosi Nkampule (24). This group started to run informal meetings in Kuyasa with local young people between the age of 14 and 25, inviting speakers, showing films and facilitating debates.

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