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19: September

southernafricanalumninetwork@gmail.com

Click for past News-bites Join the Southern African Alumni

NETWORK

for November

AFRICA YOUTH MONTH “1 Million by 2021: Count Me In!”

The AGYI wishes SAAN an exciting

and successful Continental Youth

Summit from the 25 – 27 October

where they will host exchange

alumni from Africa on the theme

“Amplifying Youth Voices”

Content by Amanda Chukwudozie – Youth Engagement

Officer – AU Youth Division – HRST Department

Reference is made to the Africa Youth

Charter, adopted in 2006, which declared

November 1st as Africa Youth Day. Given the 1

Million by 2021 Initiative launched in April this

year, and the focus of the AUC on providing

opportunities for young people in the areas of

Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship

and Engagement (4Es), this year, the month of

November will be celebrated as Africa Youth

Month (AYM). The 2019 theme is “1 Million

by 2021: Count Me In!”

This is a clarion call to all stakeholders- young

Africans, governments, development

partners, private sector, civil society and

diaspora actors- to stand up and have their

contributions counted to deliver concrete

opportunities for youth under the 1 Million by

2021 Initiative. It is also an advocacy call for

young people to demand to be counted as

part of the millions positively impacted by the

initiative.

Each week during the month of November

will be themed according to the 4Es.

Celebrations will kick off on Africa Youth Day,

November 1st, with an exciting continent-

wide scavenger hunt, in collaboration with

the AU Youth Envoy.

The hunt will include groups of young people

across Africa undertaking fun, informative exercises to create awareness,

knowledge and action on Agenda 2063 and the 1 Million by 2021 Initiative.

An amazing prize for 10 deserving winners will be announced by late October.

Other activities during the AYM are the Model African Union simulation and

dialogue, in-depth social media engagement, and leveraging of ongoing AUC

and partner activities to reflect a youth focus. AYM activities will be

coordinated by the AUC Youth Division, Department of Human Resources,

Science and Technology.

We want to hear from you! Reports can be emailed to amandac@africa-union.org; cc

NontobekoT@africa-union.org; Tag us on social media: Twitter-

@AUYouthProgram; Facebook- Africa.youth; LinkedIn – African Union.

Click for resources

START PLANNING • Walking the Talk

• AGYI Activity Calendar

• Alumni Voice is Lazarus

• Updates

• Special Days October

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INCLUSION WORKSHOP 2 – 5 October – Cotonou - Benin Continental workshop to enhance inclusive participation in exchange, volunteering and beyond AFRICAN YOUTH SUMMIT 23 – 25 October – Johannesburg – SA Hosted by SAAN in collaboration with WESSA AGYI and GIZ International Volunteer Coop Org Conf 23 – 30 October – Rwanda. Hosted by VSO and to include further development of the AU Continental Volunteer Linkage Platform initiative. BKJ Expert Conference 30 – 31 October – Germany – review of the pilot phase of AGYI AGYI Partner & Steering Meetings 18 – 22 November - Tanzania COUNTDOWN 2030 TRAINING 3 25 – 28 November – Berlin – Germany Hosted by Bridge-it! as the 3rd youth training workshops to prepare for CD2030. Countdown 2030 & beyond CONFERENCE

2 – 6 December – Cologne – Germany

PARTNER MATCHING CONFERENCE Johannesburg – SA 24 – 28 February 2020 New partnerships within the wwB, CHAT and other exchange formats. 2 x SKILLS in EXCHANGE WORKSHOPS TBC January/Feb – Johannesburg – SA 1) Hosted by WESSA and the Skills Working Group. 2) A collaborative skills relevant workshop hosted by WESSA AGYI with SAwN

UPCOMING within the

framework of the AGYI &

related activities

Exchange Alumni and

CHANGE ACTIVIST

Zolani Vokwana is

co-founder of United

we stand community

organisation. Leading

from the front,

Zonlani’s energy and

enthusiasm galvanize

meaningful and

relevant afternoon

activities using sport,

music, dance for

youth. UWSCO draw on community skills to guide learning and allow for the diverse activities that happen.

Check out their Facebook to really appreciate how they are rocking Gugulethu.

WALKING THE TALK

NAMIBIAN

Alumni have

taken their first

steps towards the

formation of the

Namibian Alumni

Network for

exchange &

volunteering.

Photo left – Gerold

Dreyer – together

with a group of ASA

students have held

their first “formal”

strategic meeting

in September to

map their way

forward as a

network.

SOUTHERN AFRICAN

Alumni Network board

meeting & strategic

planning session took place

in Johannesburg towards

the end of September.

The board is made up of

alumni in a VOLUNTARY

capacity. The network was

formed early in the AGYI by

alumni and for alumni. They

have had a MASSIVE year

which has included

registering as an NPO,

developing a strategic plan, initiating capacity development training

for alumni, collaborating in other training initiatives, co-facilitating

workshops within the AGYI. implementing an Innovation Fund project

and leading the process for alumni participation in the African

Continental Youth Summit and the Countdown 2030, 2063

Conference – both which will be taking place before the end of this

year.

SAA

N C

om

mit

tee

Your Contributions to News-bite

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Voice

alu

mni

My exchange program was more of a personal expedition focusing on my developmental capacity; entirely every activity I

have endured was more than just building regional identity and cultural integration. First thing when I heard about

Sayxchange, I saw an opportunity to travel to another country for the first time but also, I saw it as the only chance of going

into exile to run away from family politics at home. It was exciting and overwhelming, but soon my flight landed in the warm

heart of Africa; Malawi. However, upon arrival, everything went south! It was not the vacation I had imagined.

Working with Malawi Interfaith AIDS Association as office assistance taught me lot about administrative duties and

management processes, it was my first time being in the office space, everything was challenging and hectic, it was the very

first time for me to use the computer for other things other than playing music or watching movies. Now you can imagine

how I survived speaking English at work and everywhere around the country.

Malawi is my second home; it birthed my career path and from their l found meaning to my life. During my stay I found my

purpose in service rendering and realized the importance of volunteering. My work also involved volunteering with Chinsapo

Rainbow Centre where l introduced an initiative where l directed and taught groups of teenager’s dance and drama. I am

proud to say that my initiative still exists and is up and running to date.

Maneke

“’The power of exchange is to connect people worldwide learning different dynamics of improving social economic lifestyle. The power of integration is creating understanding and fighting social impacts such as; racism, Afrophobia, xenophobia, creating a peaceful nonviolent nation and discrimination.’’

Lazarus

I value exchange and I owe sayxchange and Southern Africa

Trust for implementing such an enormous Programme

which changed and shaped my life. Sayxchange Programme

was implemented and founded with the mission of fighting

xenophobia; inspired by the xenophobic attacks which firstly

took place mid-year 2008 in Johannesburg. Today, in this

month of September we are still facing major xenophobic

attacks around South Africa. However, l believe we can used

exchange initiatives as a tool to fight against such violent

crises; by learning, appreciating and being sensitized about

other Countries cultural customs, lifestyles and in so doing

together we can become one African continent and bring

peace in the world.

Neither I nor any of my exchange colleagues wherever

mistreated and discriminated in the countries we

volunteered. Yes, it is always tough being more than 1000

miles away from home, some days were tough and

challenging but not because we were being mistreated.

That’s how I realized the power of exchange, it connects

people from different spheres of life.

One of the cultural learning experiences which l took back

home with me from Malawians is their sense of humility, a

loving and caring nation that does not see other nations in

their Country as foreigners. There’s is a nation that is very

welcoming, peaceful and a non-violent society. How I wish

South Africa could be a zero tolerance nation against

gender based violent just like Malawi particularly violence

against women and children.

Continued on next page

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2nd – World Habitat Day

2nd – International Day of Non-Violence

4th – World Animal Day

5th – World Teacher Day

9 – 15th – National Marine Week

16th – World Food Day

17th – International Day Eradication of Poverty

24 – 30th – Disarmament Week

“CHAT between the Worlds” promotes VIRTUAL

EXCHANGE between schools, student groups, youth

clubs and youth associations. For more, click here

If you would like to receive the international AGYI Quarterly Newsletter, please register here

Calendar of special days

AGYI INNOVATION Fund

Alumni Voice – Lazarus continued ……..

OCTOBER

Coming back home from Malawi with the skills I acquired I implemented an

educational Programme called “ikas” in my township, tackling the issues of drugs

affecting our young generation, through engagements addressing topics like; how

township society can shape our lives, overcoming stigma and street credibility.

I have been volunteering with AFS Intercultural South Africa as a Facilitator for

Arrival, Return, and mid-stay orientation for exchange students coming to South

Africa but also recruiting host families and hosting organizations and school

placements.

SADC, German & Francophone YOUTH TEAMS enter the final planning stages for

the 2 – 6 December conference to be held in Cologne, Germany.

Driving the theme – OUR COMMON FUTURE - highlights of the conference include

a Unity March, photo exhibition, drama and poetry, panel discussions, workshops

and active media sharing for enhanced reach beyond the venue itself.

Supporting this exciting focus on the SDGs, Agenda 2063 and a more sustainable

future is the conference patron Aya Chebbi – AU Youth Envoy.

www.countdown2030.net

Representatives from the alumni network (SAAN), Weltwaerts network (SAwN),

SAGENet and WESSA participated in the Engagement Global hosted Trainer

Conference in Addis 2 – 4 September.

The conference brought African and

TRAINER WORKSHOP

Strengthening Training in Exchange

European trainers in the exchange sector together to workshop on training

practices, best practice, tools for the sector and to map a way forward to improve

training within exchange and volunteering.

WESSA, through the AGYI, will bring appropriate

detail and opportunity to share training

developments over the coming months.

Nolitha January (SAAN), Fatima Klett

(alumni), Agnetha Scott (SAGENet) &

Mary Mlambo (SAwN) at the workshop

A strategic meeting was held with

key fund actors in September in

Addis to finalise the call for the Innovation Fund, due this month. The call will be

put out by the AU and shared across AGYI networks including WESSA AGYI

Instagram, SAAN Facebook and SAwN communication platforms ….. so please

watch for it!!!

Proposed information sessions and virtual support mechanisms will also be

confirmed with the call for proposals.

We encourage our network of organisations and alumni to consider

applications and implement innovative projects for change.

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