A group of ambitious young people are on a mission to rewrite the future of Khayelitsha and create a much-needed platform for budding artists to hone their skills.
This comes after the Khalifonication youth project organisation held a fund-raiser at Lookout Hill in Khayelitsha recently.
The organisation made it clear that Khayelitsha and surrounding areas had an abundance of talented artists but due to a lack of resources and platforms to build their crafts many ended up frustrated.
The Khalifonication project firmly believes that the sustainability of the arts lies in making young people a priority and ensuring that they had access to the necessary resources.
Co-founder Athenkosi Vandisa, 20, said young artists were frustrated because they had no platform to upskill themselves and that the organisation sought to act as a catalyst for black artists and change the negative perception of young people in Khayelitsha.
He said he started the organisation with friends and had received an overwhelming response from enthusiastic artists.
He said young people were innovative and progressive thinkers and that part of their mission was to equip their peers with skills so that they could have a solid foundation from which to launch their careers in the arts industry.
He said as young people they should help each other grow and be positive influencers in their communities. He said many young people often battle to study arts or enrol at institutions even though they had what it takes to turn their dreams into reality.
He said they had turned one of the members’ rooms into a musical studio which had enabled them to produce a CD. The plan is to use profits of the sale of this CD to fund some of the organisaiton’s work. However, Mr Vundisa lamented that their current studio was not wheelchair friendly.
“We are young people who have dreams but we need support.
“We are crafting our future but also we are also creating a future for our fellow brothers and sisters.
“All we need is assistance and resources. Not all young people are doing drugs or involved in crime. We are the future of this community,” he said.
Founder of Jaay Blacks Youth Platform Foundation, Chwayita Mpeqeka, said it was important that young people embarked on progressive initiatives which sought to recreate the image of Khayelitsha.
The 18-year-old, who is also a model, said her organisation arranges beauty pageants and also donates clothing to pupils for their matric balls. In addition to this, she said, they also help eldery people who are sometimes neglected by their families.