When I look back at my journey with SAYoF, I can only say one thing: what a ride!!!!!!
Being a WOSSO Fellow and having the opportunity to participate in the 7th SAYoF gathering in Antananarivo, Madagascar this year was nothing short of electrifying.
It wasn’t just a conference — it was a whole vibe, a family reunion of visionaries, a crash course in leadership, and a launchpad for the kind of dreams that can change Africa.
But let me rewind for a second.
My first real encounter with SAYoF was during the 6th Southern Africa Youth Forum in Harare, Zimbabwe. That’s where it all started. I walked in as “Zintle, a WOSSO Fellow who just came to participate” and walked out as “Zintle who people now remembered.” SAYoF didn’t just give me a seat in the room — it threw me on stage! Suddenly, I was facilitating a panel on youth entrepreneurship in the SADC region alongside some of the heaviest hitters.
That panel was fire. It wasn’t just about ideas — it was about building connections that are still alive today. Some of the friends and comrades I made in Harare are still my people; we call, we check in, we exchange ideas, we hype each other up. That’s the magic of SAYoF: once you step in, you flourish.
Fast-forward to this year, and the vibe in Madagascar was on another level. The youth energy was unmatched, the rooms were buzzing, and as WOSSO Fellows, we were right at the heart of it all.
We had conversations that shook the soul: entrepreneurship, youth leadership, gender-based violence, pan-Africanism, technology, AI, social justice, health matters and climate change — name it, we were on it. But SAYoF isn’t just about policy talk. It’s about people. It’s about vibing with young leaders from across the continent and realizing: wow, these are my brothers and sisters. These are my people.
Now, let me talk about SAYoF and Mr Alex from Ghana — the social media marketing wizard. That guy! I don’t think he knows how much he has changed my life. Last year in 2024, his session cracked open a whole new world for me. This year, he did it again. I straight up told him: “I’m a blogger now. And part of this is thanks to you and Mama Colleen.”
Yes, I’ve always been active in social and traditional media back home in South Africa. But Alex sharpened my skills, stretched my imagination, and made me realize that our voices online are just as powerful as our voices on the ground.
To my readers — if you’re enjoying this blog, know that Alex and Mam Colleen are part of the reason you’re reading it.
One of my proudest moments this year was during the SAf-CNGO Civil Society Forum where I had the opportunity to co-lead a group on climate justice and WASH, which birthed the TANA25 Climate Justice Working Group. Let me tell you, this is close to my heart. Climate change is not some distant concept in a textbook. It’s in our backyards.
In my home province, the Eastern Cape, over a hundred lives were recently lost due to floods. KwaZulu-Natal has seen people washed away by storms. Drought is eating away at livelihoods, fueling poverty. These are not statistics — these are human lives.
So, when Mr. Gondo presented the declaration and spoke about a new climate justice cluster within SAYoF, my heart said: “That’s where I belong.” Because this isn’t just about policy. It’s about survival. It’s about justice. It’s about our generation taking charge of the future. So, SAYoF please let a sister know when those applications open and I will fill out my application.
Within the SAYoF gatherings, what has been most beautiful for me as a WOSSO Fellow and as a young person has been how we have come together through song and art. We have sung struggle songs, taught each other new ones, laughed in rhythm, and found pieces of ourselves in the music of our peers.
That spirit of creativity has reminded me that our voices are not only in speeches and statements, but also in melodies, rhythm, and art.
That is why I want to humbly ask the SAYoF team to consider weaving sports, arts, and culture more deliberately into our gatherings. Imagine a panel discussion on the role of sports in shaping youth across the SADC region, or a session where we unpack the power of music, comedy, drama, and visual arts in telling our stories.
These spaces matter too, because as young people, our voices are amplified not only through policy and advocacy but also through culture, and it is in culture that we often find our truest form of resistance, joy, and unity.
Now let me flex a little. One of the absolute highlights of my life was getting to interview the Minister of Youth and Sports in Madagascar, Hon. Abdullah Masson Mustafa. Who gets that opportunity? Me — the girl from a small village, now interviewing a cabinet minister in another country.
This incredible opportunity came with the SAYoF's media briefing with the Minister of Youth and Sports in Madagascar, where the leadership officially read out the declaration emerging from the 7th SAYoF Forum meeting.
During this briefing, when they asked who would like to interview the Minister, I immediately raised my hand and volunteered — and just like that, the unexpected became reality.
I found myself interviewing the Minister, something I believe was meant to be.
The interview was so smooth, so powerful, that afterward Mr. Gondo asked me, “Are you a journalist?” I laughed and said, “No, I’m just me.” But in that moment, I knew that my gift — my voice, my media background, my ability to connect — had found its place.
When I shared that interview on my socials, the response was insane. My family, my friends, my village, my daughter Olivia — all of them were so proud. And honestly? I was proud of me too. Enkosi hle Msayoyo, that's just my nickname for this amazing organization SAYoF.
So, Bonang Matheba must please step aside because I have officially arrived! It was a light-hearted yet deeply affirming moment, reminding me of the many doors that open when one shows up with courage and readiness.
Of course, SAYoF isn’t just about serious work. It’s about fun, laughter, and unforgettable moments. This year, I learned how to DJ with DJ Gazi! Yes, DJ Zinhle with an h must move over, because DJ Zintle with a T has entered the chat.
The music, the laughter, the late-night bonding with comrades from across Africa — those moments are just as important as the panels and declarations. They remind us that leadership isn’t only about suits and speeches. It’s about joy, about humanity, about celebrating the beauty of being young and African.
Last year’s excursion in Zimbabwe was absolutely on fire — a memory that still burns brightly in my heart. Though I sadly missed this year’s one due to illness, I want to sincerely thank the SAYoF members who, after returning from their field trip, took the time to call and text to check up on me.
That simple act meant the world to me. It was more than just kindness; it was the spirit of Ubuntu made real. Many speak about Ubuntu, but SAYoF showed me what it looks like in action. I am deeply grateful, and I carry that lesson with me — to extend the same love and care to others, just as they did for me
Even though I missed the excursion (trust me, I was sulking in that bed, I still showed up where it mattered most: in the sessions, in the conversations, in shaping outcomes. I even submitted a Call to Action on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) on behalf of my group, reminding civil society and governments that youth voices must be part of the health agenda.
I want to also extend my deep gratitude to the SAYoF team for opening these opportunities for us as WOSSO Fellows. Gatekeeping in many spaces is real, but with SAYoF I did not experience that. If this is truly how they continue to open doors for others across the region, then I want to bow down to them right now.
I also want to highlight a recent interview I had with them during the Civil Society Forum — it was amazing, and I am truly delighted to have had the opportunity to add my voice as a WOSSO Fellow.
At the end of it all — when the declarations were handed over, when the music quieted down, when the bags were packed — I walked away with a heart overflowing. Full of gratitude. Full of inspiration. Full of determination to keep going.
SAYoF has given me more than knowledge. It has given me confidence. It has given me a continental family. It has given me evidence that my light cannot be dimmed, no matter the campaigns, no matter the plots, no matter the storms.
I continue to gracefully walk with my God. I walk with my ancestors. I walk with my people.
So here I am, a proud WOSSO Fellow, forever a daughter of SAYoF. To the organizers, mentors, and comrades: thank you. To the young people of Africa: let’s keep rising, keep vibing, keep building the Africa we want.
And to DJ Gazi — don’t forget, the decks are waiting. DJ Zintle-with-a-T is coming back for the encore.
Enkosi, Thank you, Merci beaucoup, Maita basa and Rea leboga SAYoF and WOSSO.
