My Journey, Bambisanani and me: Freedom Nduduzo Khanyile
My name is Freedom Nduduzo Khanyile, I was born and bred in Nkandla reserve, KZN, South Africa. I am going to talk about how my life was changed by the Bambisanani Partnership organization at my former school, Mnyakanya High.
I transferred to Mnyakanya High School for my grade 9 in 2007; I believe the whole Bambisanani project had begun a year before. I loved sport and I was very fortunate to be selected for the Bambisanani Young Leaders programme.
When the UK Sports Leaders and their teachers visited our school, I could feel that the mood was very different. There was an excitement; the team were so lively and passionate about incorporating sport into the ethos of education. I was really impressed and needed little convincing of the importance of the programme. Little did I know then how much this experience would influence and change my life.
I really enjoyed the approach of challenging the status quo of the type of sports that were being played in my village which are your normal everyday sports like Netball and Soccer. There was little variety but that was all about to change. I participated in soccer but through the Bambisanani Partnership I got the opportunity to learn how to play volleyball which was a completely new challenge me. A volleyball team was established at the school and remarkably we won the regional schools competition. From this we went on to represent the school in the Provincial Championships. This was amazing because a year previously none of really knew what volleyball was! There was a spark within me - the way that we embraced the sport and became victorious gave me an insight into what is possible when you embrace new things and make them yours.
The following year was even double what 2007 was for me in terms of the whole experience of being a young leader. I was challenged to be a good example and not only that but to lead by example as well. This was the core message of the Bambisanani Partnership young leaders’ course. As young leaders at the school we facilitated a range of sporting opportunities for others.
In 2008 we were informed by the Principal that there could be a group of learners who would be going to the UK and that this opportunity was going to be awarded to learners who had done well in the Bambisanani Partnership Young leaders programme, as I am writing this story you can guess I was picked to be part of the first group to visit to the United Kingdom. When they gave us letters to get consent from our parents, I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing and what my ears were hearing. I was going to England; first in the family, I was so excited. For months leading up to the trip we had to get our passports and visas sorted. This was a big challenge for us which entailed a lot of road trips from the classroom but we did it!
July 2009 came, and the visit was prepared. It was my first time on an aeroplane, when we connected to Johannesburg from Durban international airport. I was sceptical at first but then I just relaxed because I was not going back. Nothing could have prepared me for the 11-hour trip from Johannesburg to London, Heathrow. When we landed the environment was refreshing, everything was different, signs everywhere, I felt like I visiting another planet. I had never been on a train in my own country however I had the experience of going on the London Underground; my first train ride. Fast forward we arrived in Leeds, and the scenery was amazing. The people were really welcoming. Barely off the train our hosts had arranged for us to be special guests at a Rugby match – Leeds Rhinos v Bradford Bulls. It was a big game and we got a special mention and were introduced to the spectators. The game started at 8pm and finished around 10pm and the sun was still in the sky. We were shocked and amazed at the same time; it was wonderful.
We visited St. Mary’s School and the welcome overflowed with joy; they really had been waiting for us. We had the opportunity to build new relationships, reunite with the team (our friends) that had been in South Africa before.
The culture shift and the way of living may be different from continent to continent but the culture of sports, arts and recreation have a universal language. Through these activities we learned so much and developed great friendships.
We were very excited everyday like pre-schoolers because deep down we knew the experience was a chance of a lifetime which we have grown to cherish and look back on. We had a lot of fun activities in class and outside on the sports field where we jelled in with the St. Mary’s learners and participated together as a collective.
The overall visit was an amazing experience and the welcome we had been given was beyond our expectations and that will always be embedded in our hearts and minds. When we returned home, we were celebrities to say the least and we had many beautiful stories to share with other learners and members of the community.
Quite unbelievably, within weeks of returning home I was nominated by the Bambisanani Partnership and my school as an ‘Outstanding Young Leader’ to represent South Africa in a leadership/volunteer role at the Youth Sport Trust UK Youth Games in Cardiff, Wales. A few weeks later my mother received a call from the Principal to say that her child would be going to the UK again but this time alone. At first my mother was concerned about the fact that no one from the school or the Bambisanani Partnership team would accompany me. I convinced her that this invitation was a great honour and an opportunity not be missed; she eventually gave me her blessings and she even came to the airport to see me off.
The event brought together young leaders from around the world and young athletes from all parts of the UK. The training and preparation were very professional and thorough so that we all knew our roles as volunteers to ensure that the UK School Games were a great success. This was just like back home during our Bambisanani Partnership Sports Leadership training but on a much bigger scale and in a wonderful stadium. I had so much fun. We made friends from all over the world, Brazil, Mozambique the list is endless and everyone was very excited to be there. I even met up with two friends from St. Mary’s School who were also at the Games. For most of the young leaders this was their first time in another country but there was little sense of ‘imposter syndrome’ but rather a great coming together of brothers and sisters from all over the world who met and greeted each other with smiles and acceptance. The Games were a wonderful success on so many levels. The competition was great and the sportsmanship even greater. I had had the good fortune of a very special experience that reinforced to me, yet again, that ‘there is so much more out there’.
One thing certainly leads to another and just before the Easter holidays in 2010, I was selected to represent my school and be one of the key-note speakers on an event that was hosted by the Rural Rigid initiative that looked to acknowledge young people from our rural area. I prepared hard and was very excited to speak in front of hundreds of students and local villagers alike. What I also learned was that the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma would also be in the audience! My speech centred around the importance of bringing technology to the forefront of the classroom for our rural schools. I look to become a public speaker one day, and be able to touch and impact the lives of others, sharing some of my experiences through my journey whilst being a positive contributor for my community in the world at large. That day sparked this passion in me because even though change may not be instant our words can build bridges where they were not feasible to be built before. Some years later the Bambisanani Partnership and Rotary International would provide our school with the internet and computers that I talked about in my speech.
The Matric year (my final year at school) was hard, but the sacrifice was all worth it and when the exams came around, I was prepared. I was successful in the exams and gained a place at Durban University of Technology. Regrettably, few young people from my community get this opportunity so I was determined to make the most of it.
The Bambisanani Partnership really did give me a head start into this view of being of service to others. Because of the experience, skills and confidence gained through the partnership I found that I was able to converse with people that were different from me in terms background, education or upbringing. As a result of this I was able to gain a much more considerate perspective as to how their views, and opinions may have been different from mine without taking any offence from it. The Bambisanani Partnership really did instil some values in me such as a respect for others. I learned that ‘differences’ don’t necessarily mean that we are opponents or opposites of each other, but rather they create a narrative that we can work on while looking to improve on them with clearer understanding and strengthening our common interests.
I became proactive in creating conversations that would bring about a positive impact, an example of this would be the time I and a few students formed a Peer-to-Peer study group at the university called ‘DotKom’ which assisted first years with computer literature classes outside of their normal schedules (extra classes). This brought about the attention of our IT Department who as a result of our group’s work developed a system to fast-track any student who like myself did not have a vast Computer Literacy background.
Such initiatives were really necessary because over and above the change in context of how a Matric student learns and how a university student learns - some students (especially from rural areas) had never seen a computer system before and setting up a study society really did make a positive impact in their lives and resulted in a more engaged academic year which saw the majority of us progress efficiently with greater understanding to second year and beyond.
Three years on I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology (Software Engineering) and later gained employment in Johannesburg in the IT industry developing software.
I am on a personal mission to use all the knowledge that I have acquired over the years through my profession as a Full-Stack Software developer in the information technology space to support others acquire basic IT skills. Many people, particularly in rural communities like where I grew up, do not have such skills that are so essential now in a digital age. I am very keen to help address this issue and am currently initiating discussions with various media platforms and community groups to take my ideas forward.
My ambition is to one day run my own software development company. This will include but not limited to educating, process improving and development of simple websites, reporting systems and dashboards. There is some way to go and the moment I feel that a business mentor from the sector could help propel me to the next level. I will certainly work hard and be proactive in order to achieve my goals.
In closing I would like to say that the Bambisanani Partnership has had a massive impact on my life and view of the world. I have an ambition to run my own company and also to support and educate others. There is a big world out there and I wish to play my part in it. In the future I would like to be involved in Bambisanani initiatives where I can help and encourage rural children just like me. Long live the Bambisanani Partnership, long live!
