A woman from Ashton has set a challenge for herself to change the lives of her community’s youth and women.
Bulelwa Luthango says she grew up in a family in need.
“When I was 9 my parents were divorced. It was very difficult for my mother to take care of us alone. When I was 15 I had my first child. I matriculated in 2006 but never went to study. But I turned my life around and went to study office admin in 2014, It was after I graduated in 2017 that I started giving back to my community in Zolani.”
In 2017 she started assisting matriculants whose families were not able to afford their matric balls.
“At the time I was a casual, but the community all came together to help me do this, and I received help from a big store in Ashton. After doing that I started helping the youth apply for National Student Financial Aid Scheme [NSFAS] assistance so they could study after school.”
Luthango also holds talks and workshops to educate teenagers about pregnancy.
“I can’t change everything in people’s lives, but if I can change one person’s life for the better I am happy.”
In 2022 she registered the Ikamvalethu Youth in Action Foundation and continues to look for opportunities to influence those in her community positively.
“I see a big challenge and need in our community for the education and upliftment of our women. A lot of women are lacking in opportunities in terms of work and further educating and uplifting themselves. But there are also a lot of woman who can share their stories to inspire those who need it. We need to teach women that they don’t have to depend on others, that they shouldn’t just focus on their challenges.”
For that reason Luthango has decided to host a women’s conference in August, to help women find their way back to themselves. “I will collaborate with others in the community. The goal is to have speakers share their journey to inspire and empower others to rise above their circumstances and to bring back their confidence. It will also serve as a networking event so women can meet others who can potentially help them better their lives. We would like to work with anyone else who can make a positive contribution to this event.”
Anyone wishing to become involved in any of Luthango’s initiatives can contact her on 068 223 0849.
