Young people need to be nurtured, encouraged and protected. The are the words of former Miss SA, Augustine Chuene, who on Saturday spent her day encouraging young people from Ezimbuzini informal settlement during an uplifting Breast and Reproductive Health Impact on Mental Health panel conversation event held at the iconic Eyethu Shopping Centre’s Heritage Hall in Soweto.

The event which gave young girls a head-start on the importance of taking care of their bodies was organised by an international organisation Royal Table Global Consult, and Faith Ministry led by Dr Sindile Mathebula.

“For me, being part of this event was a no-brainer as I have known Dr Mathebula from church for a long time. Besides that, I am from Soweto. I grew up here and like the young people who are here, I was a young girl just like them. Encouraging young people is a passion of mine as I am involved in various programmes. Teenagers are still finding themselves and their true identities and they need to be guided, encouraged and upskilled as their future does not depend on their circumstances,” said Chuene.

Dr. Tshidi Lelaka, the CEO of Coaching & Consulting for Access to Community Resources, along with Chaplain Palesa Mashapa a breast health expert and founder of Aura of Grace, Lihle Malinga, Nonhlanhla Malinga and Sibusiswe Manintakhubu also joined Chuene as motivational speakers. They shared valuable insights on health, self-advocacy and the importance of early detection for breast cancer.

“You must not be afraid to stand in front of the mirror and familiarise yourself with the size and shape of your breast. You must touch your breast so that you know how they are so that should anything happen, you know as soon as possible what to do. We encourage girls to examine themselves in order to detect signs of breast cancer as early as possible,” Mashapa said.

“We are launching this event to restore the dignity, worth, and value of the girl child in the Ezimbuzini informal settlement,” she stated, emphasising the urgent need to provide basic necessities such as decent underwear and support for period insecurity. Additional efforts will aim to supply school uniforms and stationery for these young girls, addressing fundamental barriers to education.

“We are launching this event to be a vehicle that will restore the dignity, worth and value of the girl child particularly in the Ezimbuzini informal settlement based in Soweto. The basic needs of the girls include having decent underwear, address period insecurity, including providing school uniform and stationery for them,” Mathebula said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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