Dylan Bettencourt
Trevor Noah, one of South Africa’s finest exports and host of The Daily Show has pledged R8 million to a local project that targets young people who do not have access to education.
The donation was made by the Trevor Noah Foundation in partnership with YouthBuild South Africa (YBSA) to mobilise young adults between the ages of 17 and 29 who have education and employment challenges and provide training to improve their circumstances.
The donation will allow the YBSA project to connect individuals in impoverished communities to find work in the construction, tourism, hospitality, and the information and communications (ICT) industries.
Alongside assisting individuals find employment, the Farani Project, based in Soweto, is an attempt by the YBSA project to use Trevor Noah’s donation to improve access to training programmes that develop young people’s construction skills as well as to adapt and transform the education sector.
“Through nearly 300 programs around the world, the YouthBuild movement equips young people with the necessary tools for long-term professional and personal success,” said John Valverde, President and CEO of YouthBuild USA.
Valverde indicated that in South Africa alone more than 2,500 individuals have been assisted by the YBSA and thanked the Trevor Noah Foundation for their help.
Noah said: “Today’s kids are told to be the leaders of tomorrow but they’re not given the tools. I’m excited about this partnership with YouthBuild because we’re creating life-changing opportunities for South African youth. We all deserve to achieve our fullest potential no matter where we come from.”
The comedian’s foundation currently aids over 500 teachers; 6,000 learners and a large number of families in impoverished communities.
Image source: @Newsday
