It is in response to this very plight of our girls that Voices of Change has opted to select SOAR! as their CSI programme and 300 books have already been printed and are being dispatched to selected schools. SOAR! for high-school girls is a career, mindfulness and life skills guide that was specifically developed in support of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that relate to education and gender equality, as well as the United Nations (UN) Women Generation Equality Campaign.
The first focus of the book is to equip girls, but later also to prepare boys for the world that awaits. There are still thousands of our young people that are not equipped to make sensible choices about their futures, just because they do not know what choices they have and what such choices would entail. This book is a guide, a paper-based coach, a mentor, a maternal figure, and a journal all in one, for their own journey and an opportunity for creative self-expression while unlocking their unique potential.
SOAR! furthermore gives youngsters a glimpse of the wealth of opportunities the workplace might hold for them. It includes information ranging from explaining 4IR to highlighting 62 diverse careers, the importance of mental wellbeing to entrepreneurship, personal care, and much more. It also addresses challenges of growing up in the 21st century, including social media risks, bullying, depression and many more life issues. “The intention of the book is that we equip and inspire a new generation in whose hands the future will be entrusted,” says Despina Senatore, the author and publisher of the book.
Mhangwani explains that this donation of 300 books is only the beginning, with the intent to distribute it to as many underprivileged girls and boys as possible, over time. She acknowledges that this has, however, only been made possible due to the growth of the Voices of Change movement over the years, and because of the support of our partners. Concludes Mhangwani: “We wish to appeal to every man and woman in business, and in a position of power, to influence to join us as we put all our differences aside and rise up in the true Spirit of Ubuntu, to equip our leaders of tomorrow - to build a more powerful, economically inclusive future.”
A good point-of-departure to get involved, would be to join Voices of Change 2021, a global thought leadership discussion that is set to take place on Thursday, 5 August 2021, from 10h00 to 16h15, South African time. This event has been made possible by all the Voices of Change 2021 partners, which include: Accenture, AECI, AngloGold Ashanti, Aspen, Astron Energy, Business Engage, FNB, Imperial, Life Healthcare, Nedbank, Pfizer, Refinitiv, RMB, Vodacom and Wesbank. For more information or to contribute to the SOAR drive, simply follow this link: https://www.businessengage.co.za/5-august-2021-voices-of-change/.
