South African Programmes 2026 campaign

1. Program Activity Overview

Youseline Dufrene, a mentee supported through SAYes Mentoring's programming, was invited to attend and speak at CityLab 2026 in Madrid, Spain, a prestigious global summit hosted by Bloomberg and the Aspen Institute. This opportunity represents a direct outcome of the leadership development and confidence-building work central to SAYes Mentoring's mission.

2. Key Achievements & Milestones

• Represented SAYes Mentoring on an international stage alongside mayors, innovators, and global changemakers.
• Participated as a panelist in a session moderated by Garrett Richardson, alongside prominent figures including Lib Peck (Director, London Violence Reduction Unit), Okela Douglas-Norgrove (CEO, Sister System), Unis Ali, and Dr. Jean E. Rhodes.
• Engaged directly with global leaders, including the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in discussions on youth development, community change, and mentorship.
• Networked with representatives from international organisations and institutes, strengthening SAYes Mentoring's reach and profile.
• Fulfilled a long-held personal and professional aspiration: to speak internationally and contribute to rooms where real change is being shaped.

 3. Impact & Participant Reflection

Youseline described the experience as transformational, noting that every leader present, regardless of title, shared a common commitment to making the world better. She highlighted the following personal and professional growth outcomes:

• Confidence: Being welcomed into high-level conversations affirmed that young voices belong in influential spaces.
• Mentorship reinforced: The support received from Lib Peck and others demonstrated the real-world impact of mentorship, the very value SAYes Mentoring champions.
• Knowledge and networks: Exposure to leaders from diverse sectors and countries broadened Youseline’s perspective on how change happens globally.
• Community inspiration: Returned with a renewed commitment to encouraging others in her community to start small, volunteer, and believe in the power of incremental action.

 “No matter their title — mayor, organiser, innovator, activist, or entrepreneur — every single person in that room had one thing in common. They wanted to make the world better. That stayed with me.”

— Youseline Dufrene, CityLab 2026 Participant

4. Alignment with SAYes Mentoring Mission

This experience is a living example of what SAYes Mentoring works toward every day: equipping young people with the relationships, confidence, and opportunities to step into meaningful spaces. Youseline’s participation at CityLab demonstrates that mentorship is not just a support system, it is a launchpad. The connections made, conversations held, and skills developed at this event directly reflect the long-term outcomes GlobalGiving donors make possible.

5. Looking Ahead

Building on the momentum from CityLab 2026, SAYes Mentoring will continue to:

• Create and expand opportunities for mentees to participate in regional and international leadership spaces.
• Leverage new relationships forged at CityLab to deepen SAYes Mentoring’s partnerships and networks.
• Share Youseline’s story to inspire other young people within our community to pursue bold opportunities.
• Demonstrate to donors the tangible impact of their investment in mentorship.

 Thank You to Our Donors

Stories like Youseline’s are only possible because of your generosity and belief in the power of mentorship. Thank you for making moments like these real. Your support fuels the next generation of changemakers.

Links:

• Visit Our Website
• Connect on LinkedIn
• Follow Us on Instagram

Meet SAYes Alumni Blue Nhlanhla Nkomonde, a talented young skateboarder from South Africa who took part in our Nike Partner Programme in 2025. Blue shares his journey with honesty, humility, and powerful insight into how sport can shape not only performance, but character, mindset, and life direction.

Blue explains that he grew up in a small community where opportunities for creativity and alternative sports were limited. He first discovered skateboarding through television as a child, and quickly became passionate about the sport. With limited resources and no access to equipment, he describes the difficult reality of growing up without support; and how, at the time, he made harmful choices just to be able to participate. Importantly, Blue speaks openly about how he learned from these experiences, took accountability, and committed to becoming a better person.

Over time, skateboarding became more than a hobby, it became a source of discipline, resilience, and self-belief. Blue shares how the sport taught him respect, how to listen, and how to stay focused. He also emphasizes that mentorship and guidance helped him understand that no one succeeds alone, that behind every young person striving for success, there must be a team of support.

Today, Blue is not only focused on his own goals, he is also actively giving back. He works with young people and supports children in his community through encouragement, coaching, and helping them stay motivated in school and life. He speaks passionately about helping young people build confidence, avoid harmful habits, and resist the pressures of comparison and negativity often fueled by social media.

One of the most exciting updates shared in this interview is that Blue has been awarded a four-year scholarship to train in the United States, supporting his development in competitive skateboarding. He hopes to represent South Africa in the Olympics as a skateboarder, a dream made possible through commitment, mentorship, and the right opportunities at the right time.

Blue’s story reflects what SAYes Mentoring is all about: young people building independence, learning life skills, developing emotional resilience, and becoming leaders in their communities. Your support helps create the structure, guidance, and belief that young people like Blue need to keep moving forward in sport and in life. 

Links:

• Watch Blue's Interview Here