A youthful perspective
June is Youth Month – a time to reflect on the historical significance of youth activism in South Africa, and to celebrate the exceptional young people who are making a difference in our company.
Nomathemba Raditsela and Lucia Duma, both interns in the AfroCentric Group Marketing and Corporate Affairs Department, tell us about their experiences and how they think our company can support young people.
Nomathemba Raditsela
Q: What did you want to be, growing up, and how has that dream changed over the years?
A: I always dreamt of becoming a lawyer. I wanted to fight the injustices in our system. That dream soon changed in my second year of LLB at the University of the Free State. I got introduced to the world of marketing – when I started working with brands as a promoter, I totally fell in love with marketing. That love drove me to impulsively switch degrees, and I never looked back. I am now a graduate of something that I love.
Q: What advice would you give your younger self?
A: I have always been so hard on myself, fighting to break generational curses. I put so much pressure on myself to get great marks and have everything by 25. Turning 26 this year has made me reflect on life. A few things I would tell my younger self are:
- Give yourself grace (you have done so well for yourself).
- Celebrate yourself.
- Believe in yourself more.
- Life is not linear, so embrace the ups and downs. This journey is beautiful.
- Relax, everything will fall into place eventually.
Q: What’s in your playlist, your favourite TV channel, programme or book?
A:
- Current favourite book: Things I Never Said to Myself
- Playlist: “My Home” (Myles Smith), “Khetha Mna” (The Soil), Die With You (Eden Mary)
- Current TV series: The Cleaning Lady
Q: Anything about your family you want to share?
A: I grew up in a big family. I was raised by my grandparents, which made me a very empathetic person with a big heart because my grandparents took care of everyone that was needed. It was beautiful witnessing that love and warmth growing up.
Q: If you were on a TV game show and had to choose a song to describe your first few days and impressions at AfroCentric, what would that be?
A: “Amazing”
Q: What do you think could be done at AfroCentric to promote the careers, wellbeing and growth of the youth?
A:
- Implement workshops and short courses (skills development).
- Absorb more interns.
- Have more social activities (I’m sure we’d all love to know more about each other’s human side).
Lucia Duma
Q: What did you want to be, growing up, and how has that dream changed over the years?
A: When I was six years old, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. Typically, I wanted to be like my mom. My mom is a genuine human being with one of the biggest hearts around, so I wanted to become a nurse. As I grew up, more and more I fell in love with the idea of getting to be a helping hand to someone who is sick and/or injured. Being a simple hand to hold when life becomes a little challenging, a voice for the patient and what they want for themselves.
As I matured, I came to understand more about who I am as a person, what brings me joy, and what interests me. I also realised how creative I am – I adore acting and writing. I became incredibly excited about anything related to theatre and could picture myself taking that path. The school I attended did not offer drama as a subject, so I was a bit confused about which stream to pursue when I got to grade 10. My sister suggested that I should take the science stream in the meantime but I was still confused. As time passed, I reached matric and had to apply to universities. I decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Communications at the University of Western Cape in the hopes that it would expand my writing and creative prospects, while also allowing me to understand how communication plays a crucial role in our daily lives. After my undergraduate degree, I was excited and looking forward to learning more about communication. The following year, in 2022, I decided to do my honours degree in linguistics – and I loved it
Q: What advice would you give your younger self?
A: Luh, you’re smart; have more confidence in yourself. Please don’t be too hard on yourself – everything will work out as it should. You’ve witnessed how you made things happen even in situations you never thought it was possible. Keep dreaming, your dreams are possible. OTHERWISE, O STAR JOE! Never doubt yourself.
Q: What’s in your playlist, your favourite TV channel, programme or book?
A:
- My favourite on my playlist lately is “Twenty-one” by Khalid.
- Favourite TV channel is anything related to reality shows. I enjoy watching something that I can learn from, that’s going to expose me to the real world, that’s going to make me aware of certain things about life. In general, I’m a very realistic person.
- The book that I’m reading is “The Power of Letting Go” by John Purkiss.
Q: If you were on a TV game show and had to choose a song to describe your first few days and impressions at AfroCentric, what would it be?
A: “Best Days of My Life” by American Authors
Q: What one thing do you think could be done at AfroCentric to promote the careers, wellbeing and growth of the youth?
A:
- To have sessions with our departmental execs and seniors once a month on how to navigate the corporate world for our growth.
- Techniques for sustainability in the industry.
