Thabo Madimetja Stuart Ledwala

Community Youth Heroes

Nominee's Province:
Limpopo

Age:
31

Project Name/Description:
Maraba Reviving Hope Multipurpose Centre

More info:
https://www.facebook.com/100000050551406/posts/5416244068387221/?app=fbl

Thabo Madimetja Stuart Ledwala, a 31-year-old community activist from Kalkspruit GaMaraba, Limpopo, is the co-founder, facilitator and chairperson of Maraba Reviving Hope Multipurpose Centre. Ledwala, Jacob Magongwa and the late Lethabo Chewe established the NPO in 2017 to close the gap between historically disadvantaged youth from rural areas and their urban counterparts. Ledwala, a self-confessed recovered alcoholic-turned-motivational speaker, says he also attends youth events, and platforms across the province where he preaches about the dangers of substance abuse. The organisation seeks to achieve its aims through school motivational drives; employment, entrepreneurship and skills development programmes; health promotion and gender-based violence awareness. Occasionally, the NPO facilitates socio-economic transformation dialogues and workshops, and promotes indigenous games as well as sport and arts development activities within the community and neighbouring areas. Earlier this year, the NPO, in partnership with the Department of Social Development and the National Youth Development Agency, successfully held a seven-day entrepreneurship training event. Ledwala was elected to serve on the Polokwane Local Drug Action Committee. “Since our establishment in 2017 we have been operating from an office at a local child care centre (crèche). We aim to build a massive multipurpose centre that will have a stadium, a community hall and a public library,” says Ledwala.