The organisation is built upon four pillars of manhood, namely the conscience, the self, spiritual connection and the spirit of ubuntu. It has three departments, which are toddlers, juniors and seniors.
Toddlers and juniors’ workshops are held at various primary and high schools in KZN, while seniors are students at university level.
‘This year we will be recruiting 120 students from the Westville, Howard and Edgewood campuses. They will fill in membership forms to join and be part of annual events to promote responsible behaviour. These events include but are not limited to campus tours, senior mentorship programmes, ladies and guys night, public debates and isigcawu (platform),’ said Njoko.
During the last week of April, the organisation will host the public debate Let‘s Agree to Disagree. ‘All resolutions taken on the debate are implemented within the organisation for character building. Students debate on issues that affect them while offering a critical analysis of the problems and possible solutions,’ said Njoko.
One of the highlights for the year is the upcoming Isigcawu, a cultural event where students meet elders to learn about African values, the role of tradition in the modern world and preserving African values for the next generation. It takes place during the last week of September.
‘Being an ambassador for the organisation offers students a chance to connect with their communities by recruiting their former schools to benefit from the programme. Each senior receives an amount of R500 per school recruited and all seniors are expected to recruit a minimum of two schools per person. More information will be given once you are accepted into the programme as a senior,’ explained Njoko.
To find out more about the organisation and to join, email khethani.njoko@mir.org.za