Breaking Free from Poverty

The aim of Ignition Youth Development is to permanently break the cycle of poverty for youth from Alexandra, and for their future generations.

Alex is one of the poorest townships in Johannesburg, fraught with intractable socio-economic challenges. In this environment poverty persists, not merely because of a lack of financial resources, but due to the complex inter-play of socio-economic hurdles, where seemingly minor setbacks have knock-on effects that can significantly disrupt one’s progress out of poverty.

They believe in the power of tertiary education as a means to permanently break the cycle of poverty. However, they know that finance and access alone, are not sufficient criteria for success. Students need access to a comprehensive package of resources and support to ensure their success.

They recruit a special group of young people from Alex, who have good enough marks to get accepted into university, but who typically don’t qualify for corporate bursaries. They recruit youth who have demonstrated the character and resilience that is needed to succeed, despite their circumstances. They believe the youth have within them all that it takes to succeed. They simply come alongside them, and help them to overcome barriers that poverty places in their pathways, to help them reach their full potential. Ignition is giving a broader set of youth the opportunity for economic stability and upward mobility.

Their comprehensive package of support begins in Grade 12 with career guidance and extra Maths tuition to help learners get accepted into the appropriate course of study. For the duration of their tertiary studies, they provide critical skills training, and they mentor them throughout. However, they know that this support alone is not enough. This request for funding is specifically to help them provide other resources not available to their youth from their communities. They address the needs of the whole individual – providing support for physical resources like glasses, laptops, residence start-up packs, as well as psychological counselling where required, and even possibly social worker support and food parcels for families in economic crisis, as this can put immense strain on a student.

With over 17 years of experience working with Alex youth, Ignition has a proven track record of delivering results, with outstanding pass rates of over 85% each year, and all graduates in the last three years achieving work placement within 6-12 months of graduation. Youth stay in their programme for up 6 years, which allows them to have a deep, transformative impact that resonates throughout the participants' life, and positions them to become agents of change, not only in their future, but also those of successive generations. Ultimately, they aim to reduce disparities and create a more equitable society. Please join them in supporting this special group of youth!