Onthatile Chipfupa

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE

Onthatile Chipfupa sees mentorship as a journey between two people as they walk through life.

The client liaison team leader enjoys singing and as part of The South African Breweries 18+ Campaign, a call to action for young adults to ‘be the mentor you wish you had’, mentors 16-year old Omphile, who studies classical music at the National School of Arts.

The 18+ Campaign encourages young adults to ‘be the mentor you wish you had’ and to help teens make positive life choices, including staying away from alcohol.

“The mentor may not have all the answers all the time, but that person will always be at your side should you need them to be, Onthatile said.

Their common thread extends far beyond music, such as their Christian faith and a passion to achieve personal goals. Omphile refers to their bond as “indescribable”, stating that Onthatile is more of a sister than a mentor. “We talk about everything and she has taught me how to be confident in my own skin.”

Onthatile, who hails from Meredale, highlights some of the issues facing the younger generation. “They are faced with saying no to drugs, dangerous drugs.” She adds that “they have to deal with how far to go with the opposite sex, school and political issues and overall socio-economic issues on a daily basis”.

Omphile affectionately calls Onthatile “Nthati” and says her mentor has taught her “that there will be a time when drinking will be appropriate, but for the time being it is not necessary”. Furthermore, Omphile has learned she should not follow the crowd. “I am unique and need to understand the consequences associated with underage drinking.”

They share an interesting two-way mentorship. As much has Onthatile mentors Omphile on the bigger issues of life, Onthatile adds that she too has felt mentored by Omphile. “My mentee is extremely passionate and she has taught me to be passionate about the things that I want to pursue.” By reaching out as a mentor, Onthatile has helped bring out the future ‘mentor’ in Omphile.

Onthatile reflected on the fact that if she had a mentor in her younger days she would have been in a different space regarding her passions, but she is grateful to pass the opportunity on to someone else. Onthatile envisions that her mentee will always strive for what she believes in, regardless of what others may think.

Omphile voices that the 18+ programme is an effective way in which SAB is bringing about positive change in the community. “I feel that SAB really cares, it is a good programme which teaches people to reach out instead of withholding knowledge.”

South Africans can be part of the campaign and make a difference to someone else’s life by pledging to be a mentor at www.sab.co.za/alcohol-issues/.

To watch Onthatile’s video, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E79Oa_1antE.