By Christine Cuénod
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Electronic Engineering alumnus, Cebo Mzinyane is building momentum with his non-profit company that aims to motivate children in underprivileged areas to excel academically, socially, personally and recreationally.
Mzinyane established Monarkhia Academy in response to the poverty he saw hindering young people in achieving their full potential. Anxious for school children to make better progress, he formed the academy with the focus on areas such as Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu (INK).
Growing up in Ntuzuma, where he completed his schooling, Mzinyane witnessed the poverty and lack of resources and amenities children faced in their endeavours to realise their dreams.
Mzinyane enrolled for his BSc at UKZN in 2015. He said the programme and university chose him rather than the reverse, after unfamiliarity with tertiary institutions and their programmes almost led him to another institution.
Calling the experience of studying engineering “tough yet thrilling,” Mzinyane said he appreciated the problem-solving aspects of the programme that encouraged creativity and innovation in developing the competence to identify, assess, formulate, and solve engineering problems.
This enhanced his passion for tackling some of the country’s major challenges in the form of community development, entrepreneurship and childhood development.
“Studying this degree has helped me develop the necessary skills to identify challenges and develop a programme that I am confident will help bring solutions,” said Mzinyane.
A Transnet bursary during his third-year resulted in him being employed as an engineer in training at Transnet, Durban after completing his studies.
Mzinyane decided to formalise a programme featuring sports and academic support to provide mentorship and influence after a children’s soccer match in 2019, when he spent some time answering numerous questions about life from youngsters and noticed a mentorship gap in society.
Monarkhia Academy offers soccer, drama, film, exhibition programmes as well as a social development division to provide mentorship and life skills with an emphasis on anti-drug and anti-crime ethics and social cohesion.
The academy’s name is derived from the Greek word for “monarch”.
Recognising that sport and recreation in INK areas are seen as a luxury and not an essential part of schooling, Mzinyane and his team of eight executive and operational officers , who are UKZN alumni, got together. They began to market the concept; reminding doubters that sport and recreation can lead not only to career opportunities but also the acquisition of important life skills.
Monarkhia Academy makes use of limited and shared sports facilities. Even though financial security remains a challenge for the team, they have been working to source and secure sponsorships to bolster their activities, provide stationery and sports equipment for the academy’s use. Earlier this year, they led a donation drive for stationery, uniforms and bursaries for children at schools in the INK area.
Mzinyane is keen to get mentorship and guidance for the team, and to channel their passion into skilful community engagements with the ability to run workshops and development projects.
The academy recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Phikiswayo Primary School in Ntuzuma, which makes provision for it to facilitate sport and recreation at the school.
They also partnered with Mirror World Production Company and hosted a film exhibition last year to help township youth become aware of career possibilities in the film industry. A top achiever from a local school had the opportunity to visit UKZN’s Howard College campus to explore the many engineering study options.
This year, the aim is to train and appoint voluntary coaches to work with children at schools and take the pressure off teachers in the area of extracurricular offerings, while also identifying academically gifted children to join peer study groups.
Mzinyane’s hopes to eventually work with all 120 schools identified in the INK area and introduce sport offerings beyond netball and soccer. He aims to soon register as a professional engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa and develop his social entrepreneurship skills.
Monarkhia Academy plans to work with UKZN and research institutions in the near future to investigate social and economic challenges in townships and assist primary school pupils in all spheres.