Bloem centre is empowering young people to build their own businesses

The 56 Tambo community centre offers projects such as business incubation, monthly markets and community-building initiatives.

- By Lerato Mutsila

In the heart of the Free State, in Bloemfontein's CBD, a once abandoned building - shuttered during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic - now pulses with creativity, hope and youthful energy.

On Oliver Tambo Road is 56 Tambo, a community centre founded and run entirely by young people, for young people.

At its helm is Tshiamo Malatji (27), whose vision is simple yet radical: to return agency and opportunity to the young people of Bloemfontein, empowering them to chart their own futures.

The Free State, much like the rest of South Africa, faces a severe unemployment problem. According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey, 37.6% of people in the province are jobless. For young people aged 15 to 34, unemployment is even higher at 52.1%, well above the national average of 45.5%.

“There are not many opportunities for young people here. Many opportunities in Bloemfontein are government opportunities, and often getting through the door is very difficult.

“Many young people in Bloemfontein also work online for companies that do not necessarily operate in the city or have offices here, and some people do not have internet access, which means they cannot access those jobs. So, a lot of what we do is about building things that empower young people to start their own projects and businesses,” Malatji said.

With varying projects such as business incubation, monthly markets and community-building initiatives, 56 Tambo is a one-stop hub where the city’s young residents can find resources to start and manage their own businesses, advance their employability and immerse themselves in art and culture.

Malatji said the space also allowed young people to control how the centre helps them, adding that those who used the centre often shaped the initiatives it runs.