We’re often told the voices of the youth should be heard and during National Youth Month in June, many organisations make an effort to highlight the plight of the youth. One organisation,Salesian Life Choices, has gone beyond the hype to actually give young people from Cape Town a chance to tell their stories and share the reality of their lives.

A stunning coffee table book with illustrated stories about young people from Cape Town will be launched on 30 June. The Cape Town Youth Book is a creative celebration of young people that will challenge stereotypes and give readers insight into the daily struggles of a generation that holds the key to South Africa’s future.

For the past three years, Salesian Life Choices has celebrated South Africa’s National Youth Month with a ‘30 Stories in 30 Days’ campaign on various online platforms. This annual campaign is aimed at creating awareness about the challenges that youth face today, as well as inspiring people to believe in the youth.

The Cape Town Youth Book is a compilation of the past four years’ most moving stories, with portraits by local photographer Peter Harper and illustrations by 21 South African artists from diverse backgrounds.  Each artist was given a story and requested to interpret it in any medium or format they preferred. The exceptional works by artists such as Diek Grobler, Anwar Davids, Frank Lunar, Sikelela Damane, Willem Samuel, Judy Conway and Jill Trappler will make the Cape Town Youth Book a collector’s item.

Some of the stories are about unimaginable suffering and hardship, but the golden thread that runs through each one is resilience and the power of the youth. Through this book, you will meet young people who have overcome abuse, loss, violence, injustice and neglect but have stayed on course to fulfil their potential. Many of them are now using their experiences to help other youths.

According to Sofia Neves, director of Salesian Life Choices, these stories showcase the reason why the organisation believes in the potential of youth and works with them every day. “We believe people are born into the world as assets, it is the way we treat them, that make them a liability. We hope this book inspires you to see each youth you come across as an asset,” Sofia says.

CAPE TOWN YOUTH BOOK LAUNCH

Date: Saturday 30 June 2017
Time: 16:00 – 18:00
Venue: Salesian Life Choices
314 Imam Haron Road, Landsdowne, Cape Town
The book will be launched by TV presenter Danilo Acquisto
The launch will be followed by a reception
RSVP to info@kreativmediahub.com by Friday 21 June 2017

CONTACT: Phone Hannelie Booyens 083 460 3710 for details.

MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE: www.lifechoices.co.za