BUTTERWORTH- Young people in Butterworth were brought together to engage on gender-based violence(GBV), responsible citizenship, masculinity and other social challenges at the inaugural National Launch and Summit of The Gentleman Legacy Alliance (TGLA).
The summit, held on 26 August under the theme ‘Own Your Freedom’, was hosted by the TGLA in partnership with iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu(WS) with support from the Directorate of Teaching and Learning and the First Year Experience Office.
The organisers described the gathering as the first of its kind for the organisation, with a reported student turnout of 87% and participation focused on community-centred solutions and youth engagement.
The TGLA is a nationally registered non-profit organisation founded by its Executive Director, Fikile Soyingwa. The organisation focuses on youth development, gender equality, peaceful institutions and the promotion of human rights.
Soyingwa said the organisation seeks to create spaces where young men can play an active role in addressing social challenges affecting communities.
“The TGLA NPO aims to exist in South African living and learning spaces, gathering men towards transformation and solution-centred solutions on GBVF prevention, gambling addiction, tribalism, and LGBTQIA+ attacks,” Soyingwa said.
He encouraged young people to continue pursuing their ambitions despite obstacles such as limited resources and rejection.“We encourage the youth not to stop dreaming because of lack of implementation resources, rejections or because their vision is being misunderstood,” he said.
According to the organisation, the summit was aimed at formally unveiling its mission, signature programmes and operational procedures, while creating a platform to discuss issues affecting young men, boys and women.
Furthermore, Acting Deputy Director for Student Success Doris Mnengi representing the First Year Experience Office, delivered a message of support and participated in discussions under the pillar Driving Gender Diversity and Accountability.
Mnengi spoke about perceptions of men from a female perspective and highlighted the importance of responsible citizenship in strengthening social cohesion and driving positive change.
The Department of Social Development’s Mnquma Local Office also participated in the summit, providing insights under the pillar Exploring Masculinity from Religious, Cultural and LGBTQIA+ Perspectives.
The department’s GBV-F ambassador discussed how gender-based violence manifests in communities and challenged societal norms that can contribute to violence and discrimination.
The Office of the Public Protector South Africa addressed issues including maladministration and abuse of power, while promoting the importance of responsible and ethical leadership.
In addition the Thuthuzela Care Centre also participated, providing information on how survivors and communities can respond to rape and other traumatic experiences.
The summit brought together representatives from government departments and institutions, with organisers saying the participation demonstrated the importance of partnerships in tackling social challenges affecting young people.
Certificates of appreciation were presented to participating expert delegations and institutions in recognition of their support, resources and commitment to youth development.
The TGLA said it hopes the summit will contribute to creating safer and more inclusive living and learning environments while encouraging young people to become active participants in finding solutions to challenges in their communities.
Courtesy of IMAGES: Supplied
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