Babalwa Mva’s passion to help Hamburg youth is driven by her own experiences

A 28-year-old woman, who used to participate in empowerment programmes in high schools has now become a safe haven to young children as part of her daily work. 

Babalwa Mva from Hamburg in Ngqushwa municipality, who works for Bumbingomso, a nonprofit organisation in East London, says her passion was driven by past experiences.

The facilitator and the driver of the empowerment programme says she grew up not having much, with no-one to lean on.

Her mother passed away when Mva was young and she was raised by her grandmother, who had to make means for them to survive. 

She understands better the struggles of teenagers having no place to run to whenever difficulties strike. She now mentors and educates pupils about life skills.

This includes talking about social ills, addressing menstrual issues and allowing them to explore arts to discover themselves.

“I was raised by my grandmother who is now late. She was raising three granddaughters with her old [age] pension grant.

“When I was in high school I joined a group of young girls doing traditional dancing [umxhentso]. I was also on a girls’ talk support group, where we were doing reading and drama.

“That’s where I started to develop the passion of working with young people,” she said.

Mva’s highest education qualification is a grade 12 certificate, as she couldn’t further her studies because of financial constraints. 

“I was studying tourism management at PE College but I had to drop out because I had to find a way to sustain myself.

“I joined Bumbingomso Leadership Network as a member in 2017, where we were learning more about how to ignite a sense of passion and common identity among young women. That's where my facilitation skills developed.”

Mva started working directly with young people in 2018.

“I was working as a mobiliser for the young people who are unemployed, those between the ages of 18 to 34. I was also doing the community club where young people were jotting down their own challenges and discussing how they can overcome them.”

She said her vision was to forge young people who are optimistic about life.

“I want young people to stay positive about life. They also need to understand that in life they will always have challenges, but it only depends on how they can take those challenges and turn them into a positive situation.” 

Mva said she is on a journey of instilling the mentality that you can be whatever you want in life, as long as you do not lose focus on your goals and dreams.

“My success story is when I was collecting donations for the sanitary towels for the young girls of Hamburg location. I did that because I know the feeling of being on menstrual periods and you don’t have sanitary towels back at home.

“I know how it is to grow up without having a person who will believe in your dreams, a person who will make affirmations over your life, and a person who will always tell you your dreams are valid. 

“Some of these young people don’t have parents or people they look up to, and that’s why I’m involving myself with them, so that they can feel loved and appreciated all the time,” she said.

During her career, Mva said, she discovered that young people needed to be motivated.

“To the parents I say keep motivating your children, speak life to them, always check the likes and dislikes of your children. 

 “Not every child will excel in everything. Listen to them when they talk about their dreams and where they see themselves in the future.

“Let them know that their dreams are valid,” she said.

DispatchLIVE