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A difficult upbringing marked by an abusive relationship with his father and limited support systems, has driven Bizana-based community leader Muzi Nduku to dedicate his life to youth development.
In 2010, Nduku established the Muzi Nduku Youth Development Programme, an initiative focused on creating opportunities for young people through sport, arts, education and skills development in rural communities.
Over the years, the programme has expanded to include grassroots sporting codes, debate societies, drama, career expos and mentorship initiatives aimed at building confidence and broadening prospects for pupils in the Alfred Nzo District.
Now 35, Nduku said the sports programme catered for participants aged 10 to 35, while a newly formed cycling club was open to anyone aged 11 and older.
“Within the sports programme, I organise festivals where we have different sporting codes, including soccer, volleyball and athletics,” he said.
One of the flagship events, the Unity Run, uses sport as a platform to raise awareness about gender-based violence.
“In athletics, the Unity Run intentionally pairs the fit with the unfit to promote a campaign against the abuse of women and children, highlighting the disparities in strength and endurance between victims and perpetrators,” Nduku said.
His schools programme targets pupils from grades 8 to 12, offering debate training, career expos and drama workshops designed to build confidence among rural pupils.
“The learners who win in the debate society win laptops and scientific calculators, which help them prepare for university,” he said.
“For career expos, the pupils are assisted with extensive research into their prospective career paths, and we then connect them with professionals who are already established in their respective fields.”
Since its inception, the programme has reached about 4,700 participants directly through sport-based activities, with Nduku saying older community members were also included in selected initiatives.
“Though this is mainly aimed at helping and guiding the youth, I try to include older people in some activities as well because, growing up in rural areas, they were not exposed to a lot of things,” he said.
The initiative also provides economic opportunities during sports festivals, where local vendors are able to trade.
“A lot of people benefit from the sports festivals, as they are given opportunities to set up stalls, sell food and earn an income,” he said.
While the programme does not receive regular funding, Nduku said sponsorships from individuals and organisations helped sustain equipment and activities.
Former participants have also returned as volunteers, assisting matric pupils with university applications, bursary information and coaching.
“It’s sort of like paying it forward because they were once in their shoes, and hopefully the ones they are currently helping will also help the next generation,” he said.
Nduku said his personal history continued to shape his commitment to the work.
“It’s actually anger and resentment that I decided to channel positively by helping these children who are also very talented but lack the resources they need to succeed,” he said.
“I have produced children who are now professionals, and that on its own is the greatest motivation for me.”
Outside of the programme, Nduku works as a Wild Coast tour guide, motivational speaker, team-building facilitator and mentor.
Asive Diya, who nominated him for the Daily Dispatch Local Heroes Awards, described him as a long-standing youth leader who had spent more than a decade uplifting rural communities.
Since 2010, Diya said, Nduku had reached more than 37,000 young people across the Alfred Nzo district through programmes spanning education, sport, arts and culture, tourism, leadership and social development.
He said the initiative had also provided material support to vulnerable families, including school uniforms, sanitary products, shoes and warm clothing, while promoting literacy and digital access.
Diya also highlighted cultural projects such as the Bizana Arts Festival, which has given young performers and artists a platform to showcase their work.
Former beneficiary Nontando Mthembu, 19, said joining the programme in 2023 significantly changed her outlook and ambitions.
“I joined the programme as a rural matriculant with limited exposure to career opportunities beyond my community,” she said.
Through debate, public speaking, environmental projects and career exposure visits — including with institutions such as 43 Air School and Stenden South Africa — she said her confidence and awareness of career paths had grown significantly.
“I gained confidence, improved my communication skills and developed a better understanding of potential career paths,” she said.
“These experiences introduced me to aviation, hospitality and the importance of planning for the future.”
Mthembu is now studying Engineering Technology in Civil Engineering in Cape Town and believes the programme played a key role in her journey.
Daily Dispatch
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