The Big 5 Sectors

Our primary focus this year is the BIG 5 sectors: A! Health, A! Literacy, A! Youth Economic Participation, A! Interconnectedness & Inclusivity and Active Citizenship. These sectors were chosen by the ACTIVATE! Network through a series of engagements held across the country in 2017.

#BIG5Activated #PayingItForward #CommittedToChange

South  Africa  has  the  most serious  HIV/AIDS  epidemic  in  the  world,  with  over  six million  people  living  with  the  condition.  Moreover,  some  of  the  biggest  health  risks affecting  South  Africans  include  tuberculosis,  heart  disease,  diabetes  and  prostate cancer.   The  A!   Health   Sector   represents   an   effort   of   the  ACTIVATE!   Change Drivers     network     to     respond     to     unending     health     challenges     affecting communities across South Africa. ACTIVATE! Change Drivers recognises the important role youth can play in contributing towards addressing these and other social challenges.

In this respect, the A! Health Sector primarily sets out to elevate the work of Activators working within the health sector across various levels. The sector has initiated the A! Health Champions, in an effort to equip and empower Activators working in the health sector to be in the forefront of providing innovative solutions to challenges affecting society. The  sector  has  further  initiated  innovative  community  engagements  including Tavern Hackathons,  Clean  up  Campaigns  and  various  other  social  media  campaigns  aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles among communities in general, and youth in particular.

Literacy plays a vital role in the growth and development of any nation, and research has shown that the higher the rate of literacy, the better the potential to succeed. A high level of literacy can reduce poverty and crime, contribute to economic growth, and improve the  quality  of  life.  When  people  can  read  information  regarding  social  issues  affecting their communities, they are able to make informed choices. ACTIVATE! Change Drivers appreciates that the quest for the total liberation of our people begins with how knowledge is acquired, transferred and valued in society. The network has initiated the A! Literacy Sector with the primary aim of impacting how communities in general and Activators in particular engage with information in order to be empowered as functional literate citizens.

Through its GELEZA4Life strategy, the sector sets out to promote literacy as a strategic tool to address the interminable socio-economic challenges facing society today, including poverty, unemployment, and crime to name a few. In this respect, the network has committed itself  to  creating  opportunities  for  Activators  to  be  equipped  and  empowered  through various platforms to be able to contribute meaningfully into the public realm. Among these platforms are literacy exchanges, webinars, book launches and the annual literacy summit.

Economic  growth  South  Africa  has  enjoyed  in  recent  years  has  not  created  enough opportunities   for   its   young   people   to   use   their   talents   to   earn   sustainable livelihoods.  Just  over  40%  of  South  Africa’s  population  comprises  young  people, and  youth  unemployment  now  stands  at  more  than  27%  amongst  this  grouping. ACTIVATE!    Change    Drivers    is    committed    to    connecting    young    people    to opportunities  for  growth  and  development.  In  this  light,  the  network  has  initiated  the Youth Economic Participation Sector with the aim of creating opportunities for improved access   to   training,   entrepreneurship   and   employment   opportunities   for  Activators.

With   this   in   mind,   the   Youth   Economic   Participation   Sector   employs   the   A! Classifieds    and    the    Entrepreneur    Buddy    tools    respectively    to    advance    the economic  participation  of  Activators.  Through  the  A!  Classifieds,  the  network  sources employment   opportunities   and   advertises   them   on   both   its   website   and   social media    platforms.    The    Entrepreneur    Buddy    essentially    sets    out    to    connect entrepreneurs   within   the   network   to   opportunities   for   development   and   growth in   the   form   of   workshops,   seminars,   webinars   and   networking   opportunities.

South   Africa    is    a    society    essentially    characterised    by    inequality,    exclusion, marginalisation,      fragmentation      and      oppression      owing      to      a      number of     factors     including     apartheid,     patriarchy,     gender     inequality     and     racism amongst    others.        Notwithstanding    progress    that    has    been    made    through legislation    focused    on    the    promotion    of    redress    and    equality    in    South Africa, much still needs to be done to promote a sense of interconnectedness and create an inclusive South African society.  Our  efforts  to  build  peaceful,  interconnected  and sustainable  communities  across  the  country  must  be  cognizant  of  the  dire  need  to address  challenges  facing  the  most  vulnerable  in  society  including  women,  children and  the  LGBTQIA+  community.  ACTIVATE!  Change Drivers realises the importance of   creating   an   enabling   environment   for   engaging   and   critical   discourse   on   the complex social conditions influencing the interminable challenges facing society today.

The  network  has  initiated  the  Interconnectedness  and  Inclusivity  Sector  in  an  effort  to empower Activators with key competencies to contribute meaningfully towards advancing peace, interconnectedness and inclusivity within communities across South Africa. With respect  to  the  above-stated,  the  network  has  collaborated  with Activators  and  various stakeholders  to  coordinate  a  series  of  hackathons,  workshops  and  imbizos  aimed  at unpacking structural determinants of gender  injustice and gender-based violence in South Africa and exploring possible solutions thereof.

The  current  generation  of  young  people  in  South Africa  is  typically  described  as  lost, apathetic and passive among other things. It is crucial to develop an alternative narrative of young people in South Africa – one where despite the challenges of poverty, unemployment and  crime  youth  grapple  with  daily,  they  remain  actively  engaged  citizens. ACTIVATE! Change  Drivers  essentially  views  youth  change  agents  with  capacity  and  potential  to contribute positively into the public realm. The network believes that this potential must be nurtured and developed in an effort to enhance civic engagement among South Africa’s youth  and  to  promote  youth  participation  within  South  Africa’s  development  context.

In  this  respect,  the  Active  Citizenship  sector  exists  to  elevate  the  work  of  Activators, who  are  driving  social  change  through  various  community  and  youth  development initiatives  across  the  country  and  beyond.  The  sector  is  committed  to  showcasing Activator   led   initiatives   and   campaigns   that   aim   to   respond   to   pertinent   social challenges  affecting  communities.  Among  these  are  such  campaigns  as  Sanitary Pads   and   School   Bag   donations   campaigns   respectively.   Moreover,   the   sector seeks  to  promote  civic  engagement  among  Activators  through  campaigns  such  as the  Youth  Making  Local  Government  Work  campaign  which  is  designed  to  ensure Activators   navigate   the   socio-political   landscape   of   their   respective   communities.