NYDA moves closer to youth in Vhembe

Youths in Vhembe and Mopani who used to travel long distances to Polokwane or Gauteng to get services offered by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) received a major boost when new offices were opened near them.

A new office that will serve the entire Vhembe and Mopani district was officially opened on Wednesday at the Thulamela Information Centre. The office will offer a variety of services specifically designed for youth development.

During the official opening of the offices, NYDA CEO Khathu Ramukumba said the opening of the office was in line with the wish by his organization to reach out to all communities, especially the rural communities. He said the youth should be assisted as they were the future of the country.

“We have taken a stand as an organization that no youth should be left out when it comes to our services. We have put aside R2,7 billion for young people and there is no longer any excuse for you to complain about employment. From now on, you should create employment yourselves and for others. Do not feel sorry for yourselves and we will give you the necessary support to overcome your challenges,” said Ramukumba.

Opening the new offices, King Toni Mphephu Ramabulana urged the youth in the area to welcome the opportunities opened to them and make use of them to develop themselves. “You are lucky as youth to have such facilities at your doorstep. Gone are the days when we will find our youth roaming the streets, our youth going about with envelopes looking for employment." He stated that from now onwards "we will be seeing developed youth who are empowered financially and educationally."

Thulamela Mayor Grace Mahosi said the occasion couldn't have come at a better time  than now, when the country was celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto uprising. She said that the occasion served to reflect on what the government was doing in providing opportunities for the youth. “We are gathered here to continue spreading the message of hope and encourage young people to take advantage of all the opportunities brought by the democratic government,” she said.

Date:08 July 2016

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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