The Cape Flats YMCA hosted its singing festival at Yellowwood Primary School in Tafelsig over the weekend.
Young people from in and around the community took part in and supported their friends and family who participated in the festival.
Alvina Spike, from Tafelsig, the co-ordinator of the Y-Arts programme, said: “We are getting youth from the community and different YMCAs to showcase their talent. This is what they need, giving young people from disadvantaged circumstances a chance to show that we support them and love what they do.”
Ashton Dreyer, 22, from Eastridge who performed his reggae piece on Saturday June 2, said: “I am unemployed but singing keeps me going. I started singing in 2015 and have done many shows. I dropped out of school, as the only life I knew was gangsterism. I went forward from that and have been doing music for four years now. I love hip-hop and I love music, it keeps me going.”
Kyle Lekeur, 16, from Rocklands, who performed Despacito in Spanish, said: “I am here to show my talent. Ms Spike had asked me to sing at the show. We also need to show other places that the Cape Flats do have talent. It is important to me because many people want to achieve and by doing this we can. Singing inspires me to inspire others.”
The Norwegian YMCA partnered with Cape Flats YMCA and participated in the festival.
Solve Styve Etnestad, 27, from Norway, the director of the Norwegian YMCA, said: “One of our main goals we have in our YMCA is to have responsibility. The youth of today are doing it for themselves and we need to guide them; we need to empower the youth.”
Johanne Thoen Hansen, 20, from Norway, a participant in the festival and from the Norwegian YMCA, said: “They need to know that they are in charge of their own choices. The reason we came to Cape Flats YMCA South Africa was to exchange ideas with them, to show them what works for us and vice versa, a teaching and learning experience for
all.”
Mr Etnestad added: “We have a competition called Ten Sing, meaning teenagers sing. This competition also focus on teenagers using their talent to bring across positive and life-changing messages for others. They would be between the ages of 14 and 19 years old. This is how we showcase our Y-Arts.”
Ms Hansen said: “Think of what we do as clay, young people can mould that clay into whatever shape they think of or feel. If they do not take responsibility in moulding that clay, it would just be a boring, old piece of clay.”
If you would like to volunteer for the Cape Flats YMCA group you can contact Ms Spike at 021 391 0564 for more information.