EELT Program

A proposed model for the heart of the nation (our youth)

Project name: Economic Emancipation in our Life Time - EELT Program

The current societal complexities have been created and transferred to today by the bondages generated from the past – where race was used to control access to the South African productive resources and skills.
The status quo still however reflects that the SA economy excludes the vast majority of its people from ownership of productive assets and the possession of advanced skills.
SA’s economy performs below its potential because of the low level of income earned and generated by the majority of its people.
Warning – unless steps are taken to increase the effective participation of the majority of the economy, the stability and prosperity of the economy in the future maybe undermined to the detriment of the country – irrespective of colour, creed or race.
Therefore in order to promote the achievement of the constitutional right to equality, increase broad-based and effective participation of black people in the economy and to promote a higher growth rate, increased employment and more equitable income distribution it is necessary to ensure the establishment of a broad based economic plan so as to promote the economic unity essential for any nation to protect the common market and promote equal opportunities and access to government services…

The bigger challenge is redirecting the hearts, heads and minds of the youth to see the bigger picture. To ensure their participation in the development of an efficient – economic plan.

The institutionalised EELT framework requires of the youth as the soldiers of the program to cease not only the opportunities created by the democratic dispensation but also those necessitated by the need and desire to increase the potential, moral and capabilities of the youth.

No longer can we seat on the pavement and watch on as the economy of the country denigrates
No longer can we as the youth perpetuate the evils necessary to lead to our doom
No longer do we have the time and energy to fall prey to the fashionable teenage pregnancy cycle and selling our bodies and souls to the highest bidder to my brother no more rape, petit crimes as means to an end – YES life has presented us all with challenges now it presents opportunities to us all.

The EELT seeks to aligned itself with government’s set strategy on re-engineering and turning the tide to allow the heart of the nation opportunities to play a decisive role through youth organs such as the National youth commission and council, ensuring youth financial viability through organs such as Umsobomvu Youth Fund, Mondi and the likes. The EELT Program seeks to assist the youth access what is already there for them, it seeks to cut through the bureaucracy to ensure access to government resources such as Learnerships, Internship Programs, Extended Public Works Programs, Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition Programs.

We must realise our obligation and responsibility to save the denigrating generation and societal order and seek to cultivate from amongst our ranks leaders of tomorrow.

EELT believes that with energy, a zest for life, ambition and belief in our capabilities, young people can be powerful agents of positive change. Including young people in issues that directly affect them contributes to their self-confidence, allows them to exercise fundamental human rights and leads to better decision-making – wherein they become responsible, respectable citizens. Youth participation is also essential to the development of successful programs and projects. Participation in social groups fosters a feeling of connectedness and belonging helping young people develop a sense of identity.

The EELT Program ladies and gentlemen is two-fold
Firstly – prime to it is the essence of belonging, building ethics, love, patriotism and a sense of pride in being a South Africa – issues of moral regeneration.
Secondly – to build the capacity of this generation through participation, volunteerism and the ultimate attainment of skills based knowledge as well as a good sense of academia.

Projects to be embarked on

Skills Orientation and Re-Orientation
To serve as an information centre for reaching different types of organisation, which are biased, to the youth, e.g. the engineering council of young professionals, drafting of business plans. To analyse the skills needed to certain jobs/duties. To ensure a broad pool of quality graduates through the acquisition of leanerships, internship, extended public works programs, entrepreneurial skills, through ceasing the opportunities of democracy. To further act as a panacea for the needy through the provision of employment, outsourcing bursaries, scholarships and skills acquisition opportunities.

Education
The key to success lies hidden in test book and thesaurus of the world – gone are days wherein when you want hide something from a black man – put it in the text book. We need to empower ourselves academically in order to be able to chant a way forward for our nation, continent and world. We need to find solutions and cures to society crippled disease such as HIV/AID, pre-empt natural disasters such as the recent Tsunamis, we need to save the extinction of our animals through the formation of an educated focused network – were Each One has the duty to Teach One

HIV/AIDS - Volunteering
The economy of SA is dying along with the fall of the most economically active – the youth, as they lose their lives to HIV/AIDS. Ours then is to form strong networks of support, to sufferers both infected and affected by this dreadful disease – like the New York advocacy campaign we need to ensure the generation of ARV’s ethical conduct and be at the fore front of Know Your Status Campaigns as well as volunteer testing,
We need to continue preaching the gospel of No Sex Before Marriage until it play like a broken record in the minds of our young men and women

In Conclusion
We need to generate amongst ourselves the next Mark Shuttleworth, Bill Gates, Nelson Mandela and Mother Terressa. From our ranks the model to build and sustain the economy of our nation, continent and world will emanate through committed dedicated individuals who are developmental in thinking and action.

Asked the question – where do you see South Africa in the next 3 decades? – We as the EELT will ululate with pride the vision of being an economic hub for the world, a leader in innovative medicine through our mixed African and westernised discovery, we should be beading our way to the fashion stages of the world. Be at the forefront of poetry through pieces like – I am an Africa – singing our hearts out to the world chanting Molo We.

By: Mihlali Gqada

Presented to: Bill Clinton International Youth Foundation

24 May 2005