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8 August 2008

The 12th of August is celebrated worldwide as International Youth Day. In 1998, the United Nations passed resolution 54/120, proclaiming 12 August each year as day in which we should shift attention of the world to issues that affect youth in the whole world.

The theme for this year celebrations is; "Youth and climate change: Time for action".

The Department of Health and Social Service in the province will, as part of this world wide celebration, hold its provincial celebration on 12 August 2008 at Sy Mthimunye Stadium (Arkerville), Witbank, starting at 09h00.

The celebrations come at time when the Department has intensified its youth development initiatives in the province. The Department has established a youth development unit mainly to focus on how as province, we can respond in a co-ordinated and structured manner to many challenges that affect our youth amongst others: unemployment, underdevelopment, poverty, illiteracy and diseases.

Our immediate focus in the medium term is to expose as many as possible of our youth in the province to not only our programmes, but broadly to programmes aimed at empowering them to be active agents of change in their own communities.

To this end, just in this financial year, we have recruited 200 youth to be trained as auxiliary social workers; we have awarded over 300 youth bursaries to study social and community development courses and are currently in the process of recruiting 347 youth to be enrolled in the Masupa-Tsela Youth Pioneer Programme. We also fund many youth community-based projects for sustainable livelihoods.

"Youth is the only hope for a prosperous South Africa. It should not be a matter of accident that we empower them, but rather a conscious effort by all and sundry, to ensure that youth is empowered so that they can champion their own development and destiny. It is in this context that we, as a Department, has and will continue to invest massively in programmes aimed at empowering our youth," said MEC Fish Mahlalela.

Details of the celebrations are as follows:

Date: 12 August 2008
Time: 09h00
Venue: Sy Mthimunye Stadium, Witbank

MEC Fish Mahlalela will also hand over food parcels to selected families in Vosman. This is part of "Operation Dudul'Indlala" aimed at assisting families in distress due to rising food prices and fuel cost. The media is invited.

For more information, contact:
Mpho Gabashane
Cell: 082 802 4937

Issued by: Department of Health and Social Services, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
8 August 2008
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/healthsocserv/)