The founder of Ebukhosini Forty Three Forty NPO and I Love Verulam, Valen Govender, continues to support disadvantaged people on their journey of life while witnessing their struggles and testifying to their victories. Working with the voiceless and sometimes vulnerable children and families from economically challenged areas, Govender always goes the extra mile to motivate and support them. The Tongaat and Verulam Tabloid sat with Govender on the couch to unpack what its like running an NPO, as well as his love for Verulam and assisting the less fortunate.
Tongaat and Verulam Tabloid (TVT): Where are you from and what school did you attend?
Valen Govender (VG): I am from Verulam and grew up there. I attended Mounthaven Primary School and Mountview Secondary School.
TVT: Growing up were you involved in sport or any extracurricular activities?
VG: Yes, I was very active in sport and extracurricular activities. In primary school I participated in soccer, cricket, volleyball, rugby and athletics. In 1997 I was awarded the Sports Boy of the Year at Mounthaven Primary School. My family always enjoyed sports. Whenever we gather we also engage in some sort of activity. I was also active in high school where I continued to participate in sports but now began to be more involved in other projects like clean-up campaigns, drug awareness and drama projects. My hobbies are now videography, photography, participating in challenge courses and hiking.
TVT: What are some of your fondest memories of growing up in this community?
VG: The sense of community inclusivity and safety.
TVT: When did you get involved in community work?
VG: Helping people and the community is something that I grew up with. My parents would always assist others. Even if we were not doing so great they would ensure that people who came to us for help were taken care of. It was from a very young age that I would get involved in feeding projects, clothing drives, clean-up campaigns and building projects. I would then get involved in various projects in primary school and secondary school which led to me joining organisations in the community and partnering on various projects.
TVT: Would you describe community upliftment as a passion of yours?
VG: I would say that God and people are my passion. Socio-upliftment is merely a tool to reach, empower and equipment people. Although there are many people that need assistance within our communities, I believe they need to be empowered in order to become self sustainable.
TVT: What community projects are you currently working on?
VG: Currently, I am focusing on the following: L.E.A.D which is an empowerment project by Ebukhosini Forty 3 Forty, Two Coats by Ebukhosini Forty 3 Forty which is collection and distribution of resources to the community, I am also working with MAK Foundation which is an NPO in Merebank, where we have been doing water distribution in the community. We have also been supplying hampers and meals to families impacted by the floods. We are also working on developing a soup kitchen project which will be a means to identify children who do not have lunch at school and then connect with their families to try to assist.
TVT: You said your aim is to provide the less fortunate with the opportunity to empower themselves. Please tell us about these development projects.?
VG: These projects include identifying people who have a passion to learn and provides them with a platform to do so. For example should we identify youth that are interested in photography, we either connect them with a photographer to mentor them or we provide a photography workshop. We do the same for character development where we host various workshops for empowerment.
TVT: Do you have a team that helps you put these projects together?
VG: There is a small network that we have whereby we assist each other on various projects. We also have volunteers to assist when they are able to.
TVT: What are you currently working on and how has progress been thus far?
VG: Currently we are working L.E.A.D and assisting the community with aid related to the floods. However, that has been a challenge as we do not have a vehicle at the moment and depend on the sponsorships to assist with operational costs.
TVT: What are some of the most heartbreaking stories you’ve heard over the years?
VG: There are too many to mention, however, the ones that stand out are the ones related to children. Many are left to fend for themselves while their parents are gone out to look for work. There are also situations of abuse and trauma especially related to GBV. Situations where parents neglect their children as the parents are engaging in substance abuse. There are also instances of the elderly being neglected and have to fend for themselves even though they are sickly and disabled.
TVT: Do your projects have any success stories?
VG: Yes, we have success stories of young people that we have mentored in the community who could have become statistics but are now working and sustaining themselves.
TVT: How would you describe Verulam and your love for the community?
VG: Verulam is a place that has a lot of potential. We have a large resource pool of people who are skilled and passionate. However, over the years many of the people often leave for “greener pastures.” In many instances forgetting about the community they came from. I believe that we all can pursue brighter futures however, we should also look back and assist our communities with resources that we have now been blessed with. I also believe that comparing never gets us anywhere.
