Empowering Youth with Zandile Mbethe, Township Career Guidance for a Brighter Tomorrow

A story about Zandile Mbethe (personal story)

I grew up in Daveyton, a township in East Rand, Johannesburg. I am a mother of three, my eldest is in college studying interior design, while my younger children are in Grade 9 and Grade 2. I am also a lung cancer survivor living with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and Sjögren’s syndrome, autoimmune diseases I have battled since 2018. The constant flare-ups and last year’s chemotherapy sessions made me realise how precious life is and fuelled my passion for helping young people.

I worked in finance as an internal auditor and contract manager (supply chain management) in the corporate world, and although I was an ardent entrepreneur at heart, I wanted to make a difference. I started offering pro bono Accounting and Business Studies lessons, and through this, I saw how many learners struggled, not because they were not intelligent, but because they lacked practical exposure to contextualise basic concepts in relation to real-world applications. Many could not explain fundamental accounting terms, not due to ignorance, but because they had never been introduced to them properly.

“… I saw how many learners struggled, not because they were not intelligent, but because they lacked practical exposure to contextualise basic concepts in relation to real-world applications.”

Curious to understand the problem better, I began researching the education system and was shocked by the inequality. There are 12.7 million learners in public schools, yet 80% of these schools have been declared dysfunctional by the Department of Basic Education. Meanwhile, only 738,000 students attend private schools, receiving a vastly different standard of education. How can we expect equal opportunities when one child walks up to 8km to attend an under-resourced, no-fee-paying school, depends on feeding schemes, and has no access to extracurricular activities, while another attends a state-of-the-art private school, paying R420,729 per year at Hilton College in KwaZulu-Natal to become a global, future-ready citizen?

“How can we expect equal opportunities when one child walks up to 8km to attend an under-resourced, no-fee-paying school, depends on feeding schemes, and has no access to extracurricular activities…”

Another major issue is the National Senior Certificate (NSC), which requires a Bachelor’s Pass to qualify for university. However, many learners only manage to meet the bare minimum, limiting their future options. The NSC’s rigid focus on a Bachelor’s Pass neglects vocational and occupational pathways, leaving many learners unprepared for life after matric. On top of that, most township schools lack essential resources, from qualified teachers to proper infrastructure and learning materials. The difference in funding between public and private schools is staggering.

After my illness, I could no longer function in a corporate environment. I lost everything and had to move back to my mother’s home in Daveyton. I struggled financially, and my health worsened. During that difficult time, I focused on my recovery and looking after my children. But I couldn’t stop thinking about my inability to help carve a better future for my own kids and the ones I supported. I used my recovery period to conduct further research, and when I started feeling better, I decided to take action. I knew that whatever time I had left, I wanted to use it to touch lives and make a difference.

“12.7 million learners in public schools, yet 80% of these schools have been declared dysfunctional by the Department of Basic Education. Meanwhile, only 738,000 students attend private schools”

(School Realities 2023 Report- Department of Basic Education)

This led me to establish a non-profit township career guidance initiative in 2023 called Today for Tomorrow Expo, aimed at bridging the gap. I began in my community, Daveyton, Crystal Park, Mayfield, and surrounding areas in the East Rand, Johannesburg. There are 73 schools in this region, with a total of 73,000 learners. Around 60% of them attend low-income primary schools, where many families struggle to pay even R50 or R100 in school fees.

Now in its second year, Today for Tomorrow Expo has led to the development of the Pathways to Possibility programme, designed to help young people prepare for their future. The idea is simple: what we do today shapes tomorrow. So far, we have reached over 2,000 learners through various initiatives. One of our biggest successes is the STEM Club, where learners engage in science and technology projects. Recently, some of our students participated in the FIRST Tech robotics competition as rookies, where they built and presented their own robot, achieving 5th place at the Gauteng Regionals against 13 seasoned and better-resourced teams.

“Through the Today for Tomorrow Expo, some of our students participated in the FIRST Tech robotics competition as rookies, where they built and presented their own robot, achieving 5th place at the Gauteng Regionals against 13 seasoned and better-resourced teams.”

We aim to close the education gap by providing learners with hands-on experiences, such as visits to discovery centres and science fairs, enabling them to see, feel, and experience real-world applications of what they learn in school. However, we cannot do this alone. We need collective effort and corporate support to turn this vision into reality. At present, we rely on small grants and contributions from pensioners and friends, but the need is far greater.

By tackling these challenges, we hope to build a fairer education system where every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to succeed. The question is what legacy are we leaving for the next generation?

This is what the learners have to say

“What I have achieved and am most proud of through this programme is the opportunity to network with people who have helped me improve my communication skills. I have learned how to express myself more effectively and now have the confidence to voice my opinions. 

I have also come to understand that self-driven initiatives like this can support many more children. The programme exposes young people to a wider range of career options. Growing up in a township, we are often encouraged to aspire to careers as educators, lawyers, or doctors. However, through this programme, I have discovered and explored other exciting fields such as IT and aviation.

 If this programme continues, I truly believe that it will help many more young people broaden their horizons and pursue careers they may never have considered before” (Lerato Mayani 2023 Alumni – Petit High School)

“I have learned that you should not solve problems on your own; instead, you should rely on your team members. Learning to work as part of a team enhances who you are, how you interact with others, and how you think. It enables self-improvement and has given me a true sense of belonging” (Itumeleng C, Unity Secondary School)

“I have been part of Engage and Empower since July 2023, and we started a STEM club after attending their 2nd Expo in April 2023. It has been a great learning experience, as I gained valuable advice from professionals that helped me grow and see the world differently.

Our journey has had challenges, but these struggles helped us discover problem-solving skills we never knew we had—hidden talents indeed! The programme has given us hands-on STEM experience, something we never had at school. It has provided us with skills and knowledge the school system often overlooks.

With this experience, we are taking on bigger challenges and tackling difficult tasks, knowing that struggle leads to growth. This programme has been life-changing, and I am confident that the skills I gain will stay with me forever” (George T, Unity Secondary School)