Xongile Mukhari, a Grade 12 learner at Lishavhana Secondary School, finished in second position in the Department of Education’s SADC 2008 Secondary School essay competition.

The department presented the 18-year-old Xongile last Friday with flight tickets to Johannesburg that she will use to attend the 2008 SADC summit of heads of state in August. She received the tickets at a function that was held at Mashamba Tshivhuyuni Village in the Hlanganani area in Limpopo.

Xongile will be accompanied by her school principal, Mr Thomas Mbedzi, to the summit.

According to the coordinator of the SADC 2008 secondary school essay competition, Mr Carlton Mukwevho, in an effort to induce youth participation in the regional integration affair, SADC launched the 10th edition of the secondary schools essay competition this year, which was open to all the secondary schools of the SADC regions.

“The 2008 competition took place against the backdrop of over 40% of the region’s population living in abject poverty,” he added

He said that this year’s competition focused on the SADC Free Trade Area, a timely topic which takes cognisance of the strides that SADC has made in the march towards a fully integrated and developed region, benefiting all the citizens.

The topic of this year’s competition, according to Mukwevho, was “What measures should be put in place to ensure that the SADC Free Trade Area benefits the people of the region in the fight against poverty?”

“This competition is an annual event, which represents a platform and opportunity to appreciate and recognize the participation of our youth in the regional integration agenda of SADC. It is an event that celebrates the intellect, achievements and aspirations of the young people of Southern Africa in the development of our region,” he said.

South Africa’s nine provinces participated in this essay competition. The overall winner is Elise de Kock of Pretoria High School for Girls in Gauteng, followed by Ms Xongile Colleen Mukhari of Lishavhana Secondary School of Limpopo and Thavhashen Naiker of Scottburg High School in Kwazulu Natal finished in third position.

The winners are to receive their prizes alongside their regional counterparts during the SADC Summit to be held on August 16 in Sandton.

The principal of Leshavhana, Mr Thomas Mbedzi, congratulated Xongile on her achievement. “We feel greatly honored. This is a confirmation that being situated in the poverty-stricken and previously disadvantaged rural areas does not limit our learners to achieve what they want.”

Xongile said that she was very grateful about her achievement. “It really means a lot to me,” she said, adding that it would not have been possible had it not be for her father who always encouraged her to focus on her studies.