“A young person’s postcode should never determine the size of their dreams…”
When Muzi Nduku heard his name announced as the winner of a continental youth award – that became a moment he will never forget.
The founder and director of Muzinduku Youth Development (MYD), from Mbizana in the Eastern Cape, has been named a winner at the African Youth Leaders Awards, recognising his continued work to create opportunities for young people in rural communities.
The ceremony was held at Accra, Ghana, on 16 May 2026. Nduku could not travel to Ghana due to financial constraints and attended the ceremony virtually. However, when his name was announced, the distance no longer mattered.
“I felt deeply emotional, humbled and incredibly grateful”, Nduku says. “For a moment I thought about my journey, the sacrifices I have made, the challenges I have faced and the times I had to keep believing in myself even when things were not easy.”
According to Nduku, the award represents more than personal recognition. It is a reflection of the work he has spent years building through MYD, which he founded in 2010 to create opportunities for young people in his community.
Growing up in Mbizana, Nduku witnessed young people face challenges including poverty, limited opportunities, school dropouts, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse. His response was to create spaces where young people could develop their talents and build their futures through education, sports, arts, entrepreneurship, leadership and skills development.
“I strongly believe that a young person’s postcode should never determine the size of their dreams,” he says,” he says.
That belief was at the heart of the moment for Nduku when his name was announced in Ghana. He says he thought about the young people who have participated in MYD programmes, discovered their talents, received support and been encouraged to believe in themselves.
“I was not standing there alone. I was carrying the dreams of thousands of young people from Mbizana and the wider Alfred Nzo District,” he says.
Nduku mentions that the recognition also carries a powerful message about rural youth. “Talent does not only come from big cities. Innovation does not only come from well-resourced schools. Leadership does not require you to come from a privileged background,” Nduku says. “Sometimes the greatest potential is sitting in a rural village, waiting for someone to open the door.”
The win was also deeply personal. One of the first people Nduku thought of when his name was announced was his late mother, who he says shaped the values that continued to guide his work.
“She taught me the true meaning of Ubuntu – that ‘I am because we are’,” he says. Her lessons around integrity, humility, respect and serving others continue to influence how he approaches youth development.
While the award has brought continental recognition, Nduku says it has not changed the reason he does the work. “I am not chasing awards,” he says. “I am chasing opportunities, I am chasing hope.” Instead, he sees the recognition as the responsibility to do more.
His vision includes expanding Muzinduku Youth Development and establishing a multi-purpose youth development center in Mbizana – a space where young people can access technology, mentorship, skills development, sport, arts and entrepreneurship opportunities.
He also hopes to strengthen the Amadiba Youth Activism Awards, creating a platform that recognizes young people making a difference in their communities.
Nduku adds that the journey from a rural community in the Eastern Cape to recognition on an African platform is proof that limited resources do not have to limit ambition. “If this is what we achieved with limited resources, imagine what we can achieve when we have greater support,” he says.
His win may carry his name, but he sees the achievement as belonging to the community and the young people who continue to inspire his work.
“I am not just trying to build an organisation,” Nduku says. “I am trying to build possibilities. I am trying to build hope.”
By Sinentlahla Mbokwe
