The graduation, held at the Fund's offices, recognised learners who participated in the Academy, which works with young people in Grades 9 to 11. 

Through leadership development and engagement with social issues, the programme aims to help learners recognise that they can contribute to their communities while still at school, says the NPO.

Part of the Fund's broader Youth Leadership Programme, the Academy says it encourages learners to identify challenges around them, consider practical responses and understand leadership as a responsibility to others.

Its central message is that young people have a contribution to make now, and should have opportunities to be heard on the issues that affect their lives, says the NPO.

Samke Mnguni, Programme Manager at the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, says that the graduation recognised both the learners' development and their potential to contribute.

"Young people do not have to wait until adulthood to make a difference. The Legacy Academy helps them recognise that their voices and ideas matter, and that leadership begins with listening, helping others and having the confidence to speak up," says Mnguni. "Today, we are celebrating 43 young people who have taken an important step towards becoming the leaders their communities need."

Grounded in Nelson Mandela's values of service, resilience and unity, the Academy aims to place young people at the centre of conversations about their communities. It encourages them to think about locally relevant solutions and the role they can play in supporting others, says the NPO.

For one of the graduates, Molemo Monare, the experience has helped reshape their understanding of what it means to be a leader, adds the NPO.

"Before joining the Legacy Academy, I thought leadership was about being the person in charge. I have learned that leadership is also about listening, helping others, and having the courage to speak up when something needs to change," says Monare.

"The Academy has helped me believe in myself and understand that, even as a young person, I can make a difference in my community," adds Monare. "Graduating today makes me proud, but it also reminds me that I have a responsibility to use what I have learned to help others."

For the Fund, this approach aims to reflect a wider commitment to ensuring that children and young people are active participants in shaping the decisions that affect them. Developing their confidence and leadership capabilities is part of creating communities in which they are heard, supported and able to exercise their rights.

The graduates are now encouraged to apply what they have learned in their schools and communities: listening to their peers, raising concerns and contributing to practical action. Their next challenge is to put those lessons into practice through the everyday choices they make and the people they support, concludes the NPO.

For more information, visit www.nelsonmandelachildrensfund.com. You can also follow the NMCF on Facebook, LinkedIn, or on X.

*Image courtesy of contributor