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Monday, July 29, 2013

Junior Chamber International (JCI) Launched A Branch In Mdanstane in April 2013

The following article was written by Nkosekhaya Hlitane  a 2nd year WSU journalism student. This article looks at the formation of a branch of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) in Mdantsane. JCI is a membership-based nonprofit organisation with branches in more than 100 countries.

Fort Hare University graduate Sophumelela Ketelo launched a local branch of the non-profit
Junior Chamber International (JCI) in Mdantsane in April.JCI is one of the biggest non-political and non-sectarian youth service organisations in the world. It has over 2000 allied branches in 115 countries.
This non-profit youth organisation aims at combating social problems such as drug abuse, school dropout rates, unemployment and poverty.
JCI plans to achieve its mission by working hand in hand with community councillors, the SAPS and the Department of Education.
“The reason I encouraged the formation of JCI in Mdantsane is because most people here live in appalling conditions. As JCI we intend to help people to make their everyday lives easier, better and more comfortable,” said Ketelo.
Ketelo added that JCI will make people’s lives easier, better and comfortable by involving the youth in the organisation and groom them to be desirable members of the community.

Ketelo joined JCI in 2009 in his first year at the University of Fort Hare’s Alice campus where he became the local secretary general.

“I believe that the youth should be the agents of change. We cannot sit back and do nothing while our community is in disarray,” said the charismatic 23-year-old leader.

Members of the public have been critical about the formation of the JCI branch. 
Sonwabo Gagu, 21 from NU 6 said: “Nobody wants to board a sinking ship. The organisation does not have a unified structure working towards achieving the same goal.”
Mdumiseni Mbekwa, a resident of Slovo Park, an informal settlement in NU 6 accuses JCI of inefficiency and broken promises.
 
“The organisation is failing dismally to win the hearts of the people. They are dragging feet
when it comes to delivering the development programs they promised us,” he said.
Vice president Ntombi Fadi defended how the local JCI operates. “The people need to be patient with us. We do not have a spacious venue to hold meetings and that can  accommodate a large group of people.” Meetings are currently held at the Ketelo house.
 
President Ketelo echoed Fadi’s comments saying that the organisation will be strong with time. “Rome was not built on a day. We are experiencing problems like any new organisation, we will overcome them.”

For more information on Junior Chamber International (JCI) visit www.jci.cc/guests/ and for branches in South Africa go to www.jci.cc/local/info/southafrica/chapterlocator.

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