Training gives youth chance to blossom

The future of 22 young people from Khayelitsha and surrounding areas looks brighter after they completed a three-month computer training at Whizz IT Centre.

Smiles were written all over the faces of the graduates as each graduate was called to the stage to receive their certificates during a graduation ceremony held at Isivivana Centre in Khayelitsha on Saturday June 9.

Words of encouragement reverberated through the venue as young people were urged to continue studying and empowering themselves with knowledge.

Founder of the centre, Thembinkosi Qondela, said he was proud of the graduates because some had not had any experience with computers before enrolling in the programme.

He said when he started the organisation with just two donated laptops, he realised that many people did not have access to computers.

After he started the organisation, he added, demand for the use of the computers grew to a point that he decided to quit his job at the University of Cape Town where he worked as a researcher.

“In our days most jobs require computer literacy. We want to build an educated Khayelitsha. We want to reverse this negative perception of Khayelitsha. Young people should be equipped with various skills. We hope this is the beginning of great things to come for them and I hope I have made a difference in their lives,” he said.

Graduate, Thabisa Mavume, said she was excited to finally be graduating as it had not been an easy process. The 27-year-old said she attended classes on a Saturday because during the week she was at work.

She said when she enrolled for the course she had not used a computer before.

A proud Sisa Khala, whose 10-year-old daugher graduated from the computer training course, said he wanted to equip her with computer skills while she was still young so that when she reached her teens, her computer skills would be at an advanced level.