South Durban's youths say that if they are in charge, they will ensure that every child gets a quality education, will fight poverty and provide care for vulnerable children and the elderly.

They say they love their community because of the strong sense of togetherness, but hate the pollution, gangsterism and drug abuse that plague their area. And they are determined to help make South Durban a better place.

Africa!Ignite has started work on a book that will showcase the stories, messages, pictures and poems of South Durban youths from Umlazi, Lamontville, Wentworth and Merebank. And six youths from the South Durban basin will work with the publishing team as co-authors, editors and designers.

The publication draws on the writing, designs and pictures of 50 youths who each developed a ‘My life' journal as part of a ‘South Durban Youth Champions' programme in 2010. The programme, which was funded by the Ethekwini Municipality's South Durban Area-Based Management, aimed to transform the prevailing negative youth culture in South Durban through the development and showcasing of selected youth ‘champions' as positive role models.

The South Durban youth publication, which Africa!Ignite hopes to publish on Youth Day in August, is being developed thanks to partial funding from international liquid storage company VOPAK's Durban terminal. Mondi has promised to donate paper for distribution of the publication into high schools across South Durban and beyond.