A group of 5 students from St John’s College and Roedean School have used their time in lockdown wisely – through social entrepreneurship. They have set up an online platform where young South Africans can share their thoughts, feelings and writings about social issues, and hopefully, encourage social change.
Sazi Bongwe, Eli Osei, Joseph Goldblatt, Jun Tan (St. John’s College) and Ruby de Lanerolle (Roedean School) co-created the platform and named it Ukuzibuza. The name means ‘to ask oneself’, because that’s what we all should be doing right now.
2020 has been a tough year for many people and adding to the challenge has been the rise of global protest movements such as Black Lives Matter and the fight against gender-based violence.
“It’s a space for other people my age to explore their own feelings about issues that are affecting them, from race and sexuality to the changing nature of education. At the same time, we’re helping young people find confidence in publishing their own writing and using their voices,” says Sazi Bongwe, co-creator of Ukuzibuza.
Help from a global mentoring company
Sazi’s goal is to study applied mathematics and economics at a top university in the United States. Ukuzibuza makes use of his skills in programming and business, while also providing an excellent opportunity for social entrepreneurship that can make a real difference.
To get the assistance and guidance needed to launch his project, Sazi and co-creator, Eli Osei teamed up with Crimson Education, a global mentoring company that assists students who want to apply to study overseas. Crimson also provides support for students who want to develop projects that can make an impact – just like Ukuzibuza.
“The work that Sazi and Eli have done is a great example of how students can build an impressive university application, even with school and club-based activities, extracurriculars, competitions, and events being cancelled,” says Rebecca Pretorius, Country Manager at Crimson Education.
Get involved in social change
If you have thoughts you want to share or want to submit a piece of writing, visit the Ukuzibuza website.
If you’re a high school student with big ideas and want to learn about digital entrepreneurship – or any other key business skills – for free, visit our digital learning platform and register!
