Jarrod: The Future is Bright

Name: Jarrod Delport
Year joined enke: 2009
From: Krugersdorp, Gauteng

Finding that critical moment of inspiration for creating change can be a struggle and for those with the ideas and the inspiration, finding the right moment to shine can be the hardest part. After half a decade of involvement with enke: Make Your Mark, Jarrod says finding his inspiration at the very first enke: Forum, back in 2009, has changed his perception of young people and brought him closer to leading the life he wants. He’s no longer, “doomed to live the life we’re meant to live…the way society wants us.”  He knows young people are not only the future, but also the driving force of the present and his goal now is to find the best ways to help young people achieve their dreams.

Although his initial Community Action Project (CAP) was unsuccessful, Jarrod attributed the discovery of his passion for politics and community development to his experience on the Trailblazer program.  His first CAP was about cleaning up Krugersdorp, and sadly he struggled to get the process happening with limited support from his school and friends. However, the next year he was a Global Ambassador for the People to People Organisation, travelling to the US representing South Africa. Since finishing school and starting university he has been highly involved in political life at Wits and for a time was enke’s unofficial political correspondent.

Jarrod’s passion for education has bloomed since starting a project called Social Activate in 2013. He’s working with six secondary schools and two public libraries in the less resourced parts of his local area to inspire and equip Grade 10-12’s to use their education for social change. He does this by improving their social awareness as well as illuminating a path after school for them to follow their passion. Use the enke curriculum as the underlying model, he “plants a seed” for exploring their role in driving social change from within the system.  Like other enke Alumni, Jarrod believes success comes once you realise, “there’s your comfort zone and then there’s you. You must operate outside your comfortable zone.”

While still studying education, Jarrod has remained involved in all enke’s programs and has contributed as an Igniter and a Presenter over the last three years. He likes to imagine a South Africa where all young people could experience what he did – to learn through having fun and to meet the diversity and richness of the country – because then, he believes, we’d have the building blocks for a truly successful country.

We want to reach 1000 more young people like Jarrod by the end of 2015.  You can help us support more projects like this by contributing to our crowdfunding campaign here: http://igg.me/at/enkeMYM/x/828715