Years after the original June 16 events, it’s so easy to look around and ask yourself: “Kanti, what was it for? Abo Hector Peterson, babesilwelani?” (What were they fighting for?). They were fighting for self-determination among other things. They fought for the chance to have an education designed to set its students free instead of training them for slavery and servitude.

At iQ Academy, we endeavor to stay true to the spirit of their struggle, by giving our people access to education that is relevant to the demands of the South African market. In Mzantsi at present, some of the biggest opportunities for growth in business are in the township and the informal economy. The trick is in enabling our people to leverage that potential and to tap into it! That is exactly what iQ Academy is working to do.

As the youth of today, we need to be wise in how we position ourselves. What are we, as the youth, able to invest in this process of tapping into the potential growth of our markets? The main hindrances to that growth are lack of knowledge, mentorship, and investment in the form of capital. Invest in your own knowledge. If you are not already studying, a Higher Certificate Course in Business related studies starts at R649 per month. It’s a sacrifice for sure, but that is the nature of the investment. By investing in your education, you make yourself fertile ground for investors and mentors. Nobody wants to plant their resources where there is no return. We need capital investment and mentorships to come into our local initiatives and businesses, but have we done the groundwork to show that capital will grow in our space?

You may not have all the pieces that it will take to make you successful in this economy, but you do have one significant key! The key to self-improvement is in your hands. Amandla ngawakho this Youth Month!