When bullying pushed Lindiwe Dhlamini’s nephew towards an attempt on his own life, she decided to take action.
In 2012, she started Injabulo Projects, a high school outreach programme to educate teens about diversity, acceptance, and the dangers of bullying.
Injabulo hosts workshops on social issues like rape culture, victim-blaming, patriarchy and ableism. Now 33, Dhlamini is enrolled at UCT, studying towards her Honours in Gender and Transformation, two issues that are close to her heart.
She played an active role in the Rhodes Must Fall, and Fees Must Fall movements. She credits these for teaching her how to apply concepts like decolonialism, and black consciousness to develop the young learners’ understanding of the world.
Funding is a challenge that she takes in her stride. She dedicates part of her NSFAS allowance to keep Injabulo running. Data and airtime are essential so that Injabulo learners can reach the project facilitators 24 hours a day.
“We have partnered with NGOs that provide counseling and HIV-testing facilities to students in need,” says Dhlamini.
Injabulo also provides female sanitary products, academic tutoring and assistance with applications to tertiary institutions, reaching 100 students across three schools in Cape Town.
|I live by the words “If not me, then who?”|
