Cape Town - A young woman who is pursuing a career in Basic Education has been nominated to represent South Africa at the United Nations Best Diplomats Stimulation Conference Crafting Future Leaders in the post-pandemic Era in March 2024 in Istanbul, Turkiye.
Malikah Swail, 21, of Ruyterwacht is no stranger to headlines after she was featured in the Daily Voice and other news sites in 2020 when President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to an open letter she had written to him.
Swail who attended Elsies River High school at the time, wrote about the challenges and fears that gripped students who were in Grade 12 during the Global pandemic.
The letter went viral on social media and attracted 4.9k likes, 2.5 k comments and 6.4k shares.
In a letter shared with Weekend Argus, Swail was congratulated for being selected as a delegate for the Best Diplomats, which is a New York based Diplomatic Stimulation Organiser which serves as a platform for young leaders and the changemakers to exchange ideas and resolve the most challenging global issues.
Swail began a Backabuddy account recently to start raising funds for her journey which will cost R16000.
“Attending this conference will provide me with invaluable networking opportunities and allow me to enhance my knowledge on global matters,” she said.
“It will have a significant impact on my personal and professional growth.
“This conference will empower me with the knowledge and insights needed to become a more effective advocate for justice and fairness globally.
“I will not only gain a deeper understanding of diplomacy but also develop the necessary skills to make a positive impact in my career as an educator.”
Swail said it had been the support of her parents and educators which has seen her rise in her education platform and to work towards her goals.
“My parents have been extremely supportive and my mother Laameez was one of the reasons why I chose to pursue a career in education,” she added.
“As a young child growing up I would watch how children would come to my home and watch my mother teach them phonics and how to read. That inspired me to want to make a difference.
“My educators at Elsies River High School, Kensington High and Kenmere Primary laid the foundation for me because they were so passionate about education.”
Laameez told Weekend Argus she is proud of her daughter who was growing up in a diverse society and was strong-willed and determined.
Laameez began as a volunteer and facilitator at Kenmere Primary school and would assist teaching staff with their curriculum.
“I was exposed to the foundation phase from the reading to the sounds,” she said.
“I was a housewife and it gave me that courage and determination. I inspired my children and my daughter decided to go into the senior phase of education.
“When she was little she would come home from school and would start writing her imaginative stories and that is where it started for her.
“When she was in Grade 1 she already said she was going to become a teacher and she said, ‘Mommy I was born to be a teacher,’ and now she has this opportunity.
“Now she has the opportunity knocking on her door and will have the experience of being in another country.”
