Reaching out in his own way
TYRON Edwin Mathenlall is just 20 years old, but is passionate about improving his community of Bayview, Chatsworth – one child at a time.
His community development centre, which feeds poor and underprivileged children from Unit 2, strives to be the best in South Africa.
It has already made him a role model in his community.
“Being a young person allows you to be free to do what you want to do.
“But at the same time it’s about making a smart decision for your future, and to always keep friends who will make a positive impact on your life, especially with so much bad influence in the world,” he said.
Mathenlall said young people needed to have strong willpower “to say no to all the negative influences that this world has to offer”.
“No dream is too big or too small to make it a reality,” he said. “If life knocks you down, get up and dust yourself to say, ‘I can do bigger and better and even more for my future’.”
One of his favourite Nelson Mandala quotations is: “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return”.
Said Mathenlall: “We need to be just like Mandela, to do good, to carry on with the legacy he left behind, giving your time to helping those in need.
“Mandela was a good man. He opened a youth centre in Unit 5 that is used by the community and the youth – and that was inspirational to me.”
He told POST that for his 67 minutes for Mandela Day, he would be out on the road feeding children in Bayview and “blessing” the community with music.
“I want to better the lives and living conditions of the people in my community, as well as the country as a whole.”
Mathenlall started his NPO, Tyron’s Community Development, with the vision of doing good for the community. He was 18 at the time, and used his own money and funding from a political party to achieve his vision.
He said it was the preaching of his pastor, Reverend Llewellyn Joseph, that motivated him to give back to the residents. He believed his community development project was a calling from God.
“The organisation is conducting feeding schemes in Bayview. We have seen the need of those children, many of whom go to bed on an empty stomach.
“What our organisation has done this far for these children has given them a ray of hope and put a smile on their faces.”
Molly Naidoo, who works with Mathenlall, said he had a good heart and his caring for children had brought out the best in him.
“The children always look forward to being in his company as he has opened his home for the children by placing a play gym in his house,” she said.
“At his age, he doesn’t associate himself in what most youngsters get up to – things such as drugs, going to parties, and girlfriends. He is more focused on giving and helping his community.”