By Nangamso Mabindla
30 June 2006

THE provincial department of social department officially launched its youth development programme in the impoverished Buffalo City village of Potsdam on 30 June.

The Potsdam Youth Development Programme was set up as a means of encouraging local youngsters to start taking a firm hold of their lives and escape the life of crime.

Programme chairperson Lungelo Notshetshe said the department of social development first approached the area's youth in 2004 about the kind of initiatives needed to help them.

"We then sat down as the community and decided that there were three important skills that were lacking in our community; and that our project would have to focus on these areas," he said. "We also needed to start something that was going to generate income for the Potsdam community."

The areas identified were brick making, vegetation control and computer skills. "Some of our brick makers are also good at brick laying, and when it comes to vegetation control, we wanted to keep our area clean and encourage our community to start taking care of our environment. Our computer centre gives training to youngsters who have just passed matric," he added.

Looking to the future, Notshetshe said the project would like to work with the Walter Sisulu University in training the institution's students. "But, before we do that, we need to be accredited so that the university takes us seriously."

The youth leaders also plan to encourage local youngsters to engage in sports, cultural dance and other community activities.

The MEC for social development, Toko Xasa, said: "I am happy with the progress the young people have made; this will also open up employment opportunities for other youngsters in the area."

She was impressed the community's youth had heeded the president's call for them to wake up and do it for themselves (Vuk'uzenzele). "If the youth continue to work in unison like here, then there is hope for others as they will also try to emulate the Potsdam [programme]."