Alex born Given Malebe is a B-Tech post graduate in electrical engineering at the University of Johannesburg. In 2020 he got an opportunity at YES through Yoga4Alex, working as a group leader, tutor and teacher of digital literacy to tutors who were teaching at Alexandra schools.
Through this experience, Given learned leadership skills, how to present, how to create an effective CV and learned more about entrepreneurship on the YES apps. The experience of the YES programme was amazing for Given because he got the chance to give back to his community.
Before the YES programme, he was an unemployed graduate searching for work, with no luck. It was devastating to him and his family and brought depression and anxiety into his life.
Since he had the university skills and education, he decided to start using these to go around his community fixing electronic devices such as plasma TVs, radios and other electronic devices for a fee.
After 18 months of unemployment and hustling, he got an opportunity to work for StretchSA which is known as Yoga4Alex under the YES programme.
After completing the 12-month programme, he got snatched up a job at Altron Management Solutions as a junior technician, fixing ATMs. His push into full-time entrepreneurship, came with the coming to an end of his. He finally officially opened his own business through using all that he learned from the YES apps, especially the entrepreneurial skills.
Given has this to say:
“The goal of the business is to give back to disadvantaged communities and pass on any knowledge and skills, especially digital skills, necessary to understand the 4th industrial revolution. Our company name is 7 Trends and we offer the following courses/services:
The basic function of a computer
Typing skills
End-user computing (iWork)
How to structure a professional email
How to use Grammarly to spot and fix misspelled words, imperfect grammar, and punctuation mistakes
Introduction to computer language binary
Introduction to programming C language
Introduction to python programming
We also offer the opportunity of learning online with HarvardX’s computer science for artificial intelligence. We are an official edx.org affiliate. Edx is an online course provider partnering with more than 160 universities worldwide.
Our vision is to offer learnerships to matriculated students who want to pursue a career in computer science.”
7 Trends currently gives digital literacy skills training to 30 youth who are a part of the YES programme with StretchSA, known as Yoga4Alex. Given and his team are also looking for opportunities to work with other non-profit organisations to pass on these necessary skills. His business is four months old and is still in its foundation phase. He is running things by himself and looking to hire three trainers in the near future.
“I have worked with StretchSA on a holiday programme giving providing skills to 28 YES youth. The YES programme assisted by giving me the skill of presenting. I’m currently upgrading to learn computer intelligence in the 4th industrial revolution and looking to teach disadvantaged youth the skill of the future, and recently qualified as a SAGE payroll administrator.” says Given.