By Bonginkosi Msezane
Nkanyiso Gumede was crowned Mr Centre of Hope and Aphiwe Zondi took home the title of Miss Centre of Hope for this year at a glitzy event that took place in Durban on Saturday.
For Nkanyiso’s mother, the moment was deeply emotional. “I was watching my son stepping on that stage with so much confidence, and my heart was full,” she shared.
“As parents we must accept and support our children when doing the right thing. I always wished for him to be seen as who he is and not just his challenges. Today that dream has true,” she added.
The event was organised by the Centre of Hope & Promotion Masters.
TV personality Londeka Sishi was the guest speaker. “It is important to be gathering and moulding young teenagers at an early age, guiding them towards the right path through events like these. I’m so grateful for them since most of us were not given such opportunities at a younger age. The support from the parents says it all, “ explained Sishi.
Bishop Vusi Dube of the eThekwini Community Church echoed this sentiment in his closing remarks. “This was such a good way of ending the month of June as it is all about the youth. We planned this event to validate the value the youth has in our country. Another aim for these functions is to raise the youth that is drug-free, crime-free and AIDS-free – working together with their parents.”
The director of the event, Ziphokuhle Memela, mentioned the importance of diversity in such initiatives. “We invited young models from different families, mostly in our church some living with disabilities and others from different countries. We wanted to ensure no one was left out of opportunity,” she explained.
Entertainers included performances by Naledi Aphiwe and DJ C-NDOAR.
