INDABA | WEDNESDAY 17 JULY 2013
NEWS
NCEBA DLADLA PORT Elizabeth lad Siyanda Qoto (20) wants to make a difference in the lives of the youth of Nelson Mandela Bay in a huge way.
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Qoto is the founder and director of What Can I Do Project, a non-profitmaking organisation (NPO) which is aimed at helping the youth find a purpose in life. Through this newly established project, Qoto, of Westering, believes that the youth are the agents of change. To that effect, he said, he was hoping to change people’s perspective about giving back to the community. According to this highly philosophical Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) BA Psychology second year student, one does not need to be in his or her 30s or 40s to make a difference in life. “At the youngest age, people can impact posi- Motivational speaker tively on others and ig- PHOTO:SUPPLIED nite change,” said Qoto, adding that he was aware though, that to do this, one had to start with baby steps. A bookworm and motivational speaker who goes out to schools to encourage and assist learners to start debating societies and engage in extensive reading, Qoto said, “I believe in the power of words and acting on your
aims.” He said he started his motivational talks first at his alma maters, Papenkuils Primary and St Thomas High Schools respectively. To date, he has been to Sophakama, Newton Tech and Alex High Schools where he exhorted the youth to see the importance of education as the key to liberation. “Massive reading, debating and public speaking helped shape my intellectual development. Now I assist people to start their own initiatives in terms of music programmes, fine arts, mentoring and an adopt-a-school programme through the What Can I Do Project platform,” said Qoto. He attributes his inquisitive mind and socialisation as a critical thinker who was always to utilise the intellectual genes of his father, Charles Qoto, a NMMU lecturer. In his parting shots, Qoto said, “I am also driven by the three pillars taken from the Siyanda Qoto. following quotes: JF Kennedy once said, ‘Ask not what America can do for you, but what you can do for America”. Mahatma Ghandi said, ‘Be the change that you want to see’ and the writer Maya Angelou once said, ‘If you don’t like something, change it. If you cannot change it, change your attitude. Never complain.”
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