Noxolo Manyati
I am a researcher, producer, and storyteller who believes media should amplify the voices too often relegated to footnotes. As a product of township schools and now a master’s candidate, I’ve lived the tensions. This project explores late-night studying by candlelight during load shedding, the juggling of family responsibilities with academic dreams, and the quiet shame of NSFAS delays. These experiences fuel my work at Rhodes Music Radio (RMR), where I bridge institutional research and community storytelling.
This project is both scholarship and survival. When I train diarists to record their lives, I’m passing on tools I wish I had. When I edit their raw audio, I am practising what my research calls "radical listening ", honouring stutters, background noise, and unfiltered emotion as essential truth.
Unathi Sandi
Unathi Sandi didn't just participate in this project he transformed it. As my first diarist, this journalism student and RMR presenter became my guide, leading me past Rhodes University's gates into the heartbeat of Transit Camp, his neighborhood. Through his smartphone recordings, we heard education as lived experience: the distant thump of loud music from a neighbor's house powering a midnight study session, siblings' laughter bleeding through thin walls during recordings, the weighty silence after yet another NSFAS accommodation rejection.
What made Unathi's contribution extraordinary wasn't just his radio-honed storytelling skills, but his willingness to break the fourth wall of polished media production.
When Unathi recorded himself walking through Transit Camp narrating his daily routine, he didn't just share his story he created an acoustic map of educational inequality. His raw audio became my research compass, proving that the most powerful community radio doesn't speak about people, but through them.
Siwaphiwe Zolelani Mhlana
Siwaphiwe Mhlana's story embodies the spirit of resilience I've witnessed through this project. As a young woman upgrading her matric at Gadra Matric School after a forced gap year, her audio diaries offer an unfiltered window into the challenges facing Makhanda's youth. Through her recordings, we hear the determination in her voice as she balances studies with financial pressures, the frustration of educational disruptions, and the quiet triumphs of small victories. Her participation has not only enriched our understanding of these systemic barriers but has also helped forge valuable partnerships with local organizations like Gadra Matric School and Assumption Development Centre.
Nwabisa Nkani: Assumption Development Centre
The Assumption Development Centre (ADC) has been instrumental in my project, offering a comprehensive post-school developmental program for youth. Their focus on equipping young individuals with essential skills for enterprise development, employment, or further education has been invaluable. Working closely with Skills Coordinator Nwabisa Nkani(In black), I've gained profound insights into community development and the critical role of collaboration and support in achieving meaningful change.
My project aims to showcase the incredible work ADC does to empower young people of Makhanda.
iKamva Youth Joza
Ikamva Youth Joza, established in 2003 by Joy Olivier and Makhosi Gogwana, is dedicated to empowering learners to realize their fullest potential. The founders, with diverse educational backgrounds, identified the challenges many students face due to a lack of information and support. To address this, Ikamva Youth co-creates programs learners and tutors, offering essential services such as academic tutoring, psycho support, and career guidance. Working closely with Sindi, the branch coordinator, we have highlighted the significant impact of their initiatives, which primarily focus on high school learners from Grade 8 to , ensuring they receive the guidance and resources necessary for success.
Joza Youth Hub
The Joza Youth Hub is a community-driven initiative providing township youth with access to education, communication, and IT training services. Through programs like the Reading Club, Chess Club, and Toy Library, the hub supports primary school learners and offers computer and Wi-Fi access to bridge the digital divide and foster a supportive learning environment. I had the opportunity to partner with the Joza Youth Hub on my audio diaries project, working together to create meaningful content and impact in the community.
Due to funding constraints and Youth Hub Staff members not being able to go to work, we could not record audio diaries, but I attended several events organised this year, and its one possible place to start in for future partnerships.
Gadra Matric School
Established in 1994 by Gadra Education, the GADRA Matric School (GMS) is a pioneering ‘second chance’ institution in Makhanda, dedicated to transforming the lives of disadvantaged youth failed by an unequal system. Through its high-quality teaching and a pivotal partnership with Rhodes University which allows students to register as university candidates while upgrading their matric GMS creates meaningful pathways into higher education. Renowned for its innovative spirit and community impact, the school ensures students not only gain university access but achieve academic success and meaningful careers, solidifying its role as a vital NGO tackling education crises and bridging opportunity gaps.
