After completing her studies in Cape Town, Tšeli Lemaoana Downard could have followed the  path of pursuing personal success but instead, she chose to return home in Mohale’s Hoek, carrying with her not only the skills she gained but a vision to uplift the young people of her community.

Determined to make a difference, she launched Rutanang Community Foundation, an organization that equips children and youth with skills, offering them hope for a brighter future.

Her organization also equips the teachers with the necessary skills to help their students.

In this exclusive interview,  she opens up to our reporter Thoboloko Ntšonyane about her journey, the passion that drives her, and the community programmes she leads, which aim to  instill a sense of purpose in the upcoming generation.

Below is the excerpt of the interview.

How and when did you start your organization?

We started Rutanang Community Foundation in 2013, after seeing the challenges that children and youth were facing. The main objective is to give young people hope, dignity, a sense of belonging, and purpose. That’s the core of what we do. We run various programmes, including life skills and leadership programmes, and we bring young people together to dance, recite poems, and showcase their talents, helping them stay away from the streets.

What inspired you to help the people and bring about change in your community?

While working with them, we realized that some don’t attend school, and through our farming initiative, we’ve been able to send them to school. Many of these children don’t receive help from Social Development, and some have parents who moved to South Africa, whose whereabouts are unknown. Our organization aims to bridge these gaps. We also extend a helping hand to families by assisting them with means of survival, and in some cases, we connect them with Social Development.

What challenges did you feel needed attention and triggered you to establish this organization?

In Mohale’s Hoek, there are no youth centres. It’s mainly taverns in the villages. Another issue is that many children are unsupervised because their parents have passed away or are at work, so the traditional family structure, where uncles or extended family would care for the children, is no longer in place. This made us want to create a safe space where children can come to learn.

Since the inception of Rutanang Community Foundation, how many young people have you reached and made an impact on?

We’ve helped around 50 young people attend school. In terms of life skills teaching programmes, we’ve reached about 10,000 young people, as we work with different schools and have many initiatives tailored for them. We also include parents, empowering them with parenting skills and resilience within their communities. We also conduct workshops for teachers.

We assume the journey hasn’t always been smooth. What challenges have you faced and overcome?

One of the biggest challenges is the lack of employment opportunities. Even after we train young people and teach them skills, many want quick money. For example, after ploughing crops, they need to be watered, and piglets need to be cared for in order to grow. The challenge is that many young people lack the patience for this kind of work and leave.

Additionally, people in our community expect to be given things. When we started the organization, many assumed we would hand out donations, so we’ve had to work on changing that mindset. Even some older people left when they realized they had to work with us. Our goal is to help people create opportunities for themselves.

Do you think the government is doing enough in terms of empowering youth and coming up with policies tailored to addressing their needs?

There isn’t much happening in the districts, particularly for youth in remote and rural areas. Many don’t even know about the youth empowerment initiatives that exist to assist them. To access some of these, you need a smartphone and internet access, which many young people in these areas don’t have. Our youth are still in the dark; there are no community centres for them.

How do you think this can be addressed?

I think it can be addressed through community-based organizations like Rutanang Community Foundation. We’re already working in the villages, so if the government could partner with us and support our activities, we could reach even more youth. We have young people willing to travel to the highlands to share their skills with others, but no one can do this work on an empty stomach. They need stipends to meet their basic needs. It’s crucial for young people, especially those who have completed their studies, to feel they’re contributing.

Would you share some success stories of people you’ve assisted and impacted?

We have many success stories. Some of the young people we’ve helped are now in universities and colleges. Others have started their own projects and are earning a living. We teach our youth to take initiative and do something for themselves.

Not everyone will have an office job, but some are now engaged in farming, both within their families and for sale, earning a decent income. We’re also an information centre, providing young people with details about available youth initiatives.

What future is the country creating if it doesn’t seriously invest in youth empowerment?

We’re already facing challenges. The crime rate reflects that both the government and private sector aren’t doing enough. Many young people are getting involved in gangs and criminal activities. This is a wake-up call, if we don’t invest in our youth, the country’s future is at risk.

Our organization needs to partner with bigger NGOs for greater impact. The government is falling short in supporting us to maximize our impact. Partnership is crucial. The government needs to support and work with us.

What are some of the achievements of your organization that you’re most proud of?

We’re encouraged by the respect and compassion our young people have developed. They’re not aimless or without direction. We have youth who’ve gone to school, others who are supporting their families, and some who are running their own projects and earning a living. While we’ve achieved great things, we need to expand and receive more support. It takes a whole village to raise a child, and we can’t do it alone.

How do you sustain your organization?

Some of our beneficiaries give back to the organization, and some mentor their peers. We also run farming projects where we sell produce to generate income to fuel our initiatives. Additionally, there are donors who support our work.

Where do you see yourselves in the future?

We dream of seeing Rutanang in all districts, reaching more youth and children. We want to see many youth clubs and reach marginalized young people who are only engaged during election campaigns.

In conclusion

Every child is different, and each one is important. They need to be treated as individuals without comparison. They need life-affirming conversations, and they should not be denigrated because of their circumstances. We should never swear at or abuse children. They need protection because they are the leaders of tomorrow and even of today.