Mentees Michel Mukeba

I am a 24-year-old Congolese born living in South Africa under refugee status. “I was in dire need of guidance mentorship in order to take my thinking abilities up a level and grow emotionally and professionally… I’ve had to overcome the fear of opening up about my struggles and challenges. I’ve also had to let go my inability to effectively communicate my feelings in an attempt to not seem weak to others… What surpised me at first was the mentor’s willingness to provide their time and knowledge for free, what has surprised me about the experience is the development that goes on. I am definitely more emotionally intelligent.”

I am a martial arts practitioner and instructor at Judo for Peace South Africa, with plans of making a breakthrough in the music industry.

Thembelihle Jokozela

I am 18 years old. I live in Soweto – I grew up there with my 3 other siblings and my mother a single parent of 4 children – with no source of income other than the social grant. I finished matric last year.

“I have an amazing mentor who is really patient with me, and does believe in me... that pushes me to good. And her focusing on the positive side of me. It really amazes me that I’m having a mentor that really cares and hopes for the better.”

“Exhilarating” – “Things happened so fast that I felt like I had known my mentor for a decent amount of years, by the second month I had already met one of the managers of one of my favourite singers and couldn’t believe that we were already deep into my goals and close to making them a reality. Adjusting my approach towards life and my goals had never felt so easy because my mentor made efforts to teach me branding and the ropes of how to present myself like a professional… The mentorship really was the last push I needed in order to push myself to the limits and I honestly see the drastic change and growth mentally, emotionally and goal wise.”

Carlson-Junior Bogopa