By Kefiloe Kajane
Local stars, rapper Sekonyela ‘Q-Real’ Qaitsane and actress/filmmaker Ayesha Khuele are the new ambassadors of youth educational platform U-Report.
U-Report provides a platform for young people to access information and share their views and opinions with decision makers, while strengthening and promoting citizen-led development and social accountability for sustainable change.
Partnered with UNICIEF and Misa Lesotho, U- Report is expected to identify challenges, propose solutions that work on the ground, express their concerns and organize themselves via U-Report.
U-Report is currently implemented in over 22 countries across Africa. With over 6.5 million users globally, U-Report has supported both development and humanitarian interventions, advocacy and awareness raising amongst children, adolescent and youth.
Speaking to theReporter, Q- Real said he is looking forward to being U-Report ambassador and, daunting as the role seems, he is ready to make the most of it.
He believes it is his music that led to his selection as an ambassador.
“I think my craft is going to benefit a lot from me being an ambassador, and that is not something that I take for granted. Being an ambassador of such a big brand means it is no longer about me alone; I am representing a huge brand and comes with a lot of responsibility.
“It means I am going to have to behave in a different way socially, and how I approach things in life. It is no longer about me and my craft only; I am now a role model,” he said.
Q- Real also revealed that he will soon be releasing an album and he is excited that the project will allow him to still enjoy his craft which is music.
For her part, Ayesha sais being appointed U-Report ambassador is something that she is very close to her heart as a storyteller.
“I like to solve people’s problems; I like to bring solutions to problems so I believe with U-Report I will be able to do that. It gives me the ability to be free and to address issues that I have always wanted to address.
“What you can expect from us is basically being able to connect and interact with the youth. Being able to be free and use any means that I have to help the youth. As ambassadors we want to be friends with the youth, we want them to talk freely about issues that impact their lives,” she said.
