“Let us speak and hear us when we do”

Young South Africans turn up the volume in national competition

Midway through the Hold My Hand creative competition, children and teenagers across South Africa are sharing raw, brave, and deeply personal reflections and what they’re saying is impossible to ignore.

The Hear Me Out competition, along with its teen only edition Keready to Ringa, has unlocked a wave of honest storytelling from young people aged 18 and under and the result is a growing national archive of lived experience, unfiltered and uncensored.

Over 700 submissions have come in the form of voice notes, poems, raps, letters, videos and artwork and each one carrying the emotional weight of what it means to be young in South Africa today.

“From stories of loss and survival to mental health struggles, family dynamics, dreams for a better country and demands for adult accountability, the country’s children and teens are speaking with clarity and courage.” says Hold My Hand Communications Content Driver Lebo Motshegoa.

One 15-year-old writes, “I’m not a kid. Not an adult. Just me. Figuring it out. Loud, messy and real.” Another talks about watching her father take his last breath after being murdered when she was only seven, and how that moment shaped her journey through grief, anger and healing. A powerful poem entitled Let Me Speak Without Being Shut Down describes a girl’s plea for adults to simply listen without judgement: “I don’t need advice. I don’t need a lecture. I just need someone to say, ‘I hear you.’”

From the Keready to Ringa teen entries, the messages are equally raw: reflections on dating and heartbreak, the stigma of mental health, cultural silence around identity, and how family conflict and strict parenting often push teens further into isolation. One young writer asks: “Why do parents shout before they listen? Why are our stories always cut short?” Another says, “I wish I could talk about who I really am… but sometimes, home is the one place I feel the most misunderstood.”

“These young voices are not just asking for visibility, they are demanding it. Their words reveal a collective call for understanding, safety, respect, and the right to speak about their lives without fear of being dismissed or shamed. Their message is clear: if South Africa is serious about building a better future, it must start by listening, really listening, to the people who will live that future.” Says Keready lead Dr Katlego Selikane.

The competition is still open. Submissions will be accepted until 8 August 2025, with multiple weekly prizes of R2 000 each for outstanding entries. Children and teens under 18 can enter via WhatsApp to 0600 411 111 (Hear Me Out) or 060 019 0000 (Keready to Ringa). Any creative format is welcome from drawings and letters to poetry, videos, or voice notes. Entries can also be posted on social media using #KereadytoRinga and #HoldMyHandSA.

This competition forms part of the broader Hold My Hand campaign, aligned with the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC), which places young voices and intergenerational dialogue at the heart of national transformation.

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Follow @HoldMyHandSA and @KereadySA for updates.

High res images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ed1gFmZgOL7CoHXpt1rwMoRTr7Sn7xqu?usp=drive_link