Empowering Nkandla's youth through photography skills
Learning extended beyond the classroom as students engaged in practical lessons on location to practice their newfound skills in real-world settings.
Youth from Nkandla were taught photography skills by Of Soul and Joy, a social and artistic mentoring programme.
Image: Supplied
A GROUP of unemployed Nkandla youth were recently upskilled by Of Soul and Joy (OSJ), a South African photography initiative that has empowered disadvantaged communities for over a decade.
OSJ conducted an intensive workshop for 28 youth and students at Ithala Secondary School in Nkandla. The two-week programme focused on visual storytelling, both as an artistic practice and a potential career path.
Participants received hands-on training with professional equipment, including 10 cameras, 7 point-and-shoot cameras, 5 laptops, and a projector for training sessions. Learning also extended beyond the classroom as students engaged in practical lessons on location to practice their newfound skills in real-world settings.
At the workshop's conclusion, participants showcased their work in a community exhibition from, with their photos on display. The programme was led by a team of OSJ alumni mentors and seasoned professional photographers, all deeply rooted in South Africa's vibrant photographic community.
Mentors included Jabulani Dhlamini, Tshepiso Mazibuko, Thandile Zwelibanzi, Xolani Ngubeni, Teboho Mabuya, and Fuwe Molefe. The goal was to empower the youth to demonstrate competence in photography, create a cohesive body of work, analyse images, interpret their meaning, tell stories visually, and develop essential writing skills such as crafting biographies.
With the country's youth unemployment rate consistently among the highest globally—especially in rural areas—initiatives like OSJ play a role in providing alternative pathways to economic independence. The photography skills taught through this programme open doors to careers in the creative industries, including commercial and editorial photography, documentary work, and visual education.
Jabulani Dhlamini, OSJ founder and project manager said the extension of OSJ’s work into rural KwaZulu-Natal demonstrates the organisation’s broader strategy to expand its reach to underserved communities across South Africa in the coming years.
“One of our core objectives is to reach disadvantaged communities excluded from mainstream storytelling platforms due to factors such as affordability, historical background, and unemployment. We recognised the importance of expanding beyond Thokoza to establish empowerment opportunities in rural areas like Nkandla, where creative education can transform individual lives and entire communities,” said Dhlamini.