When she was a bright-eyed youngster and sat down to start studying religion, she had no idea how different her life would turn out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A while later, when Lamise Inglis stood in as a secretary at a TV studio, she still had no idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s been more than two decades since those moments and over the years Inglis has empowered countless others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inglis, managing director of iKasi Creative Media, spends much of her time at their offices in the Tyger Valley area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rest of the time is spent at their offices in George and out in the field where Ikasi facilitators lead different workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s here where they aim to empower the rural youth with the skills needed to work in the media and film industry, or to \u201cbecome storytellers and change-makers in their communities\u201d, as the organisation says on its website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inglis\u2019 road to that of mentor started when she took a chance. She had just decided to stop studying religion at the Islamic College of Southern Africa (Icosa) in Gatesville. She was standing in for a secretary at a TV production company. When the building was taken over by E.tv, she asked whether she could stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here she was exposed to media and worked herself up. She started as a production assistant and then did editing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn\u2019t long before she shot to the top, moving to other companies where she became studio manager and editor before owning her own film school, Century Film School. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where my love for training started.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inglis loved seeing how others developed their full potential and knowing she has a role to play in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One day, she was introduced to actress Lika Berning, who told her about a training facility for rural and unemployed youth being set up in the Garden Route. Inglis jumped at the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pair wanted to help train talented unemployed youth. At that point there were training courses for conventional practical jobs like engineering and carpentry but nothing that could help them get into the media industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Members from the film industry train the hopefuls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was five years ago and it\u2019s been a non-stop journey since then. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Along the way Power 987 radio broadcaster Khanya Sosibo joined Berning and Inglis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ikasi focuses on all parts of the production process and over the past few years a strong element of social media has been added to the mix, especially because this is so accessible and current to the youth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ikasi is funded, to an extent, by the government and is an accredited Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta) in the Media, Information and Communication Technologies (MICT) profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This June the first cohort of 12 students who completed a year project received their certificates. \u201cIt was a teary moment,\u201d Inglis smiles. \u201cI can\u2019t describe it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inglis grew up in Kuils River where she attended Jan Bosman Primary School (now Kuils River Primary School) and Sarepta Secondary School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is married to KFM 94.5 radio presenter, EB. The two met \u201cpurely by chance\u201d at a friend\u2019s birthday party and have been together since. They have two children \u2013 Shaylin and Shudley. She still lives in Kuils River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The job doesn\u2019t come without its challenges. Students, mostly from small towns or on the outskirts of cities, are often from crime-ridden areas where poverty is a given. There\u2019s a sense of distrust and many students have low self-esteem. \u201cGetting them to believe they can achieve something is big.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They\u2019re required to have a matric certificate to join the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Often, it\u2019s a blend of life skills these youngsters (18 to 35) have to master first \u2013 becoming job ready, setting up your resume, showing up every day. \u201cA lot of these youth haven\u2019 been in class for a while and we start with (job readiness), otherwise it\u2019s overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the end of the courses, many become entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe inspire someone to begin to dream.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Videos and other types of media are things they can sell readily. \u201cThey immediately have a sellable product.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next year, the team at Ikasi will be focusing, among other places, on Atlantis and Ocean View. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRunning an Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) is not easy,\u201d Inglis admits. She used to work in corporate, with a great salary. Now they often worry about enough funding. \u201cFunders only fund projects, not operations.\u201d That\u2019s her one message to people reading this: \u201cplease fund us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But time has taught them a lot and they\u2019ve seen many curveballs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet she wouldn\u2019t trade it for the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis sort of life is a drug,\u201d she says. \u201cThe minute you get the feeling . . . it\u2019s difficult to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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