Back in 2010, a 10-year-old Luthando Mayekiso moved to Communicare’s Zorgvliet complex in Brooklyn, with his mom and sister. He never imagined how close he’d be to fulfilling his purpose, a decade later.

Luthando finds his purpose

Not having completed high school due to personal challenges, did not dampen his ambition. A few years ago,  after seeing a culinary school advert, he signed up and completed a two-year hospitality course. The course culminated in an internship as a chef at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Although Luthando loves cooking, after a while, he realised that the work he was doing was not fully aligned to his purpose. He had a vocational calling to serve in the Christian faith ministry, taking after his grandfather who is a practicing priest. Fortunately, through an opportunity from the Anglican parish he belongs to, he went for a vocational discernment in the North-West Province in 2018. A year later, Luthando came back more determined than ever to study theology.

In the middle of a pandemic last year, Luthando found himself at a crossroads. To pursue studies in theology, he would have to complete a matric certificate. This was a stumbling block he did not know how to overcome. One day he met a member of the Vulamathuba team, who helped Luthando enroll into the jobseekers’ programme for unemployed tenants.

The programme is a partnership with the Zanokhanyo Network. Jobseekers attend work readiness workshops for 16 days, focusing on self-discovery, planning one’s future, compiling a CV, and interviewing skills.

Participating in the work readiness programme, “was a nice journey of self-discovery that involved mind, body, and spirit. It changed my mindset and helped me find myself”.

After completing the work readiness programme, he further enrolled for a six-month computer course with the Zanokhanyo Network. After finishing the course, he plans to complete his matric through  Vulamathuba’s Matric Programme, which will allow him entry into theology.

Luthando advised young people saying: “In life we make mistakes, but those mistakes should not determine your future. Life gives second chances which we must grab with both hands.”

He also encourages tenants to reach out to Vulamathuba if they would like to enroll in the job seekers’ programme, saying if it was not for Vulamathuba and their partnership with the Zanokhanyo Network, “I would have still been staring at the stumbling blocks in my life, without a clear plan of how to overcome them. Vulamathuba and Zanokhnayo Network gave me hope that I can fulfill my calling.”

Tenants who are interested to enrol for the jobseeker’s programme (work readiness) can contact Vulamathuba at admin@vulamathuba.org.za for more information.

You can also contact Zanokhanyo Network for computer training, and graduate support: