Testimonial from a Y-CAP Support Team member

Dear Amanda Blankfield-Koseff,

I am writing this letter as a testimonial for the YCAP programme to explain my experience and how being a YCAP support team member helped me as an individual.

The first time I heard about the YCAP programme was when my little sister (Dimpho Madileng) and her team at Minerva Secondary went to the national competition to represent the Gauteng province. Their project was so captivating and it really caught my attention because I was so surprised and motivated to see young people actually making a difference and helping other fellow learners in their school. At the time I was also looking for a place where I can volunteer, develop my skills and give back to my community. Therefore, I decided to join YCAP as a mentor the following year which is this year.

However, in joining the programme I got a chance to learn a lot about it and it was the best experience of my life. Amanda, you trusted me and gave me a chance to be a support team member and I am forever grateful for that. As a support team member I got a chance to travel to other provinces (North West and Free State) and learn more about the other fascinating projects that learners are focusing on. I got a chance to meet and work with other wonderful support team members whom I learned a lot from. Hence, amongst many other things YCAP has helped me to develop my leadership skills and my ability to work in a team. It has taught me patience, how to learn from my mistakes and how to manage my time, it made me realise how much I limit myself and taught me that I have the ability and so much potential to be more and make things happen without waiting for others to do it for me.

The Youth Citizen Action Programme (YCAP) is a very good programme and it touches so many lives in so many ways and I believe with the right support it will go very far. Thank you so much Amanda for coming up with such a wonderful idea and exposing us to this kind of project. I, with no doubt in my mind will forever support YCAP in the future and will help in making it grow.

Yours Sincerely

Tsietsi Madileng