“What inspired me to start this group was what I saw in my community. Most of the youth is not active and most of the youth is dependent on alcohol and drugs.”
These are the words of 22-year-old Sibahle Gxasheka, a founder of Ikasi Talented Young Stars from Town Two in Khayelitsha.
The group was started in February 2022, with 10 female dancers aged between 10 and 18, and later grew to also focus on music and drama and to include young boys.
Sibahle says her dream is to help deter young people from becoming victims of crime and using drugs. But, she adds, there are many challenges and it is not always easy working with young people.
“You have to understand them and their behaviour because it affects the positive winning and positive change. There are days where I want to give up but I can’t,” says Sibahle.
Currently her group is funded by donations collected when they busk in the streets, but Sibahle hopes to register her group as an NPO so that she can apply for funding.
In September the group spent the long weekend at a camp in Muizenberg. The aim of the camp was to take the group out of the township environment during school holidays and also see another environment. All those who attended the camp were asked to bring books of the subjects that they struggled with, so they could study, in addition to engaging in various activities.
Sibahle’s mother, Ncebakazi Qupha, also helps the group. She says she joined her daughter’s initiative to help where she can, adding that because they don’t have a venue to practise in, they are currently practising outside.
“Some of these kids in our community are going around carrying heavy loads of problems, and it’s something we as parents don’t notice at our homes,” says Ms Qupha.
“Some parents use vulgar language towards their children or fight in front of them, and some of these kids come from poverty-stricken homes where they have to sleep without having anything to eat.”
On Monday morning part of the group braced the chilly morning and joined former Cape Times photographer Brenton Geach at Muizenberg beach where he took them for surfing lessons.
Excited Luphelele Jack, a 16-year-old from Town Two said it was his first time on a surf board, he and that joining Ikasi Talented Young Stars had been a good choice.
“I joined this group because I want to keep myself safe from many things that are happening out there. Also here I learn about valuing myself and know who I am and who I want to be in life. If I did not join this group I wouldn’t be experiencing all that we did here over the weekend”, added Luphelele Jack.
