Monday, 09 June 2014
*Press Release 09 June 2014* *June Youth Month Commemoration: Joint Statement of People of Africa and South African National Apex Cooperative Youth* The People of Africa Foundation and South African National Apex Co-operative have come together in commemoration of the heroic youth of the 1976 uprisings – and set within the current paradigm in our struggle for economic emancipation, especially through our youth. As part of the Youth Month celebrations and activities, the two organizations have organised as part of the Youth Month celebrations and activities a Benefit Concert for Saturday 14th of June at the Troyeville Hotel, 1403 Albertina Sisulu Road, Corner Wilhemeina Street (formerly 25 Bezuidenhout Street), Troyeville, Johannesburg. The lead artist is the celebrated Tu Nokwe and her ensemble. This event focuses on the respective missions of these august organisations and where in synergy they can make a difference in engaging and benefiting our youth of today. In the words of People of Africa Foundation patron and honorary member Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (Nobel Peace Laureate 19984): "God created human beings for laughter, for caring, for sharing ... for interdependence. Sadly, in a world of materialism and survival of the fittest the opposite often pertains, the focus of attention is on gratifying the individual. Africans have a wealth and depth of spirituality and compassion that has enabled many ordinary people to become extra-ordinary, to rise above their circumstances of poverty and deprivation and to become glorious examples of compassion and courage. It is this wellspring of stories that People of Africa seeks to plumb to enrich us and to deepen within each one of us our sense of responsibility to ensure that our world becomes a better place for all." Founder and anti-apartheid veteran Martin Fiala elaborates: “Whereas it is of singular merit to capture and propagate and share celebratory and affirming stories of ordinary Africans, we must further engage the featured subjects in the terrain of social activism and in overcoming the daunting challenges of underdevelopment and poverty. Managed knowledge and learning networks that let narrated subjects to diarise and document their life journeys will be the founding premise to ignite personal relationships essential to knowledge sharing, the identification of shared interests and objectives, and the potential to undertake initiatives for development. The affirmation of African identity as a confident agent of change and history making is vital here.” In thus uplifting and documenting our African stories of courage, resourcefulness, and social commitment, we will set the stage for social progress, innovation, and cohesion in the face of our diverse and complex developmental challenges. People of Africa as part of its oral histories project is collecting first hand reminiscences of those who lived through the tumultuous events of the June 16th, 1976 uprising. This year that marks 20 years of democracy and freedom, we remind ourselves that our youth constitutes the majority. Notwithstanding great strides made in realizing the potential of young people as, for example, through tertiary education, career development and social mobility, we cannot ignore that a great many of them still remain marginalize through unemployment, academic failure often associated with a dearth of intellectually stimulating domestic and social contexts, and other obstacles. Both groups are invited to submit their autobiographical profiles and stories to People of Africa at [email protected] or to contact us. This year the People of Africa Foundation – which seeks to build comprehensive and sustainable stakeholder networks to deliver upon the aspirations expounded by the African Renaissance, NEPAD and the National Development Plan – is forging a working and collaborative association with South African National Apex Co-operatives Youth (SANACO Youth). Coinciding with National Youth Month, there is both symbolic and substantive import in this joint undertaking to empower our youth through co-operative and social enterprise. Where accessing and mobilizing capital and other leverages for start-up ventures is often a daunting challenge perceived as nearly impossible, the cooperative business model offers not only distinctive advantages over other models but significantly full State support under the Cooperatives Incentive Scheme. Generous fixed capital investment grants are on offer. The planning of this event comes at a most measurable moment for young people to put development at the heart of their agenda and efforts; it is through this kind of initiatives where young people are able to discover their creative entrepreneurial potential and actually implement their visions. SANACO Youth would like to use this event as a platform to introduce young people into cooperatives and other social enterprises responsible for their human development. We further want to expose young people to the fact that unemployment, inequality and poverty is another immediate struggle facing young people in our country and that through cooperative development we can be able to overcome that. We intend to dedicate more energy in explaining to the people what cooperative is and what does it seek to achieve. As we celebrate the 38 years of youth activism we also want to cooperate with business, entrepreneurs, agencies, and government institutions that support cooperative development. SANACO Youth believes that young people have their own history to make when it come their development. The SANACO Youth National Chairperson Mr. Takalani Mmbengeni says “This is an opportunity for young people to define their roles and involvement on the development of the society. He further sensitizes young people, young entrepreneurs, and agencies responsible for business development to take full responsibility about growing our country. Youth ought to take a centre stage on business and the general development of the country. Employment creation and eradication of poverty is an attainable goal for our young generation. We as the SANACO Youth and People of Africa Foundation take this as an opportunity to link young people with their history and each other. This will lay the basis for them to take command of their lives and empower themselves by harnessing all available support offered by our developmental State and its social partners. We will be rolling out a cooperative awareness programs across our communities. To make this a success, we are also using every suitable opportunity to raise funds from both individuals and institutional donors and sponsors. Our Tu Nokwe Benefit Concert also falls into this effort. We would like to call upon business people, young people, small and medium enterprises, cooperatives to come and support this concert and to share their journeys with us in this important day of the 14th June at the Troyeville Hotel. As mentioned, our featured artist is the legendary and great Tu Nokwe; Tu is a member of one of South Africa’s most famous musical families, sometimes called the Jacksons of Africa. Following the release of her 1996 hit album, “Inyakanyaka,” Tu has continued to strive as a singer, guitarist, composer, and lyricist. Her passion and love for children and community work is the driving force behind her music. And it has resulted in her latest album release, entitled “African Child”. This album was a project 2-year in the making. It was finally complete with a 13 track selection, 80% of which is Tu’s own original material, intertwined with a few traditional African standards. “Ngane Yakwethu” and “African Child / Bambelela” are original works inspired by encouraging the birth of the African Renaissance. Tu describes her music as a New Age African Sound, spiritual, and inward looking with elements of Afro-jazz and funk. She also finds herself very moved by the drum and acoustic sound. All the tracks on the album are named in Zulu and English so that a wider audience are able to connect with the tracks. “African Child” is sending a message to the quintessential African child: Listen to the music and you will find direction; you cannot go forward without going inward, hence the image on the cover of the child in the lotus position. And indeed, the message is an age-old African one: Go within! She was nominated in the category of Best Female Artist in the SAMAs. She has travelled extensively on international tours with her band. Many places like America, Europe, and England have become her second homes. In all these countries, she has collaborated with musicians in song writing, performance, and music workshops. Tu wrote and acted in with her mother and sister: She went from being a virtual slave in a Durban family’s household to one of the finest mezzo sopranos this country has known. ‘Discovered’ by an Italian opera teacher, she took Patty under her wing and taught her not to sing but rather what to sing – Italian arias. Tu’s performances exposed her to young disadvantaged township kids who turned to her for guidance. And so began the Amajika Youth Project teaching kids music, drama, dance, and self-respect. Seven members from the first class went on to join Mbongeni Ngema’s Broadway hit Sarafina, including Leleti Khumalo who ended up playing the lead role. Her travels took her to and from London for almost a year, appearing in between as Shaka’s wife, Phampata, in the movie Shaka Zulu. From there, it was off to New York, where she went for auditions at the Manhattan School of Music “just to check where I was with my craft.” Whilst music is the thread that holds Tu’s life together, performance is really what defines her. In her short life, Tu has featured in 6 plays, including “Sheila’s Ray” and “Singing the Times”, the biography of her mother’s life that she wrote, starred in numerous TV programmes and appeared on 5 albums. It’s like her biography says – Singer, Songwriter, Guitarist, Actress, Teacher, Tu was nominated for three categories in the SA FNB Awards for: Best Video / Best Female Performance / Best Song of The Year. She will be performing live honouring the 38 years commemoration of youth of 1976 at Troyeville Hotel. Public may obtain tickets at www.peopleofafrica.org at R150 per person. Tickets also available at the door. Others are encouraged to make donations. Issued by: *People of Africa Foundation and SANACO Youth* *For more information contact: Martin Fiala a Founder and Managing Director of People of Africa Foundation Email [email protected] <[email protected]> 081 270 2494/or Takalani Mmbengeni the National Chairperson of SANACO Youth Email [email protected] <[email protected]> 082 625 1706* Martin Fiala Managing Director *People of Africa Foundation* -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. 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