Lateefah Matinka is making overlooked futures visible
She also remembers arriving at school in winter with shoes that were falling apart until a teacher quietly bought her a new pair.
Lateefah Matinka is living testimony that young people from overlooked backgrounds can occupy and reshape educational spaces. For the dynamic young woman, this reality is the foundation of her work as a student leader, human rights advocate and community activist.
The final-year BA Humanities student at Stellenbosch University (SU) has spent much of her university journey creating opportunities for young people who, like her, have often felt overlooked by society.
Through her leadership in the United Nations Association of South Africa (UNASA), her role as Vice-Chairperson of the UniDreams Foundation and her work through the Lighthouse Project, she is helping young people see themselves differently.
“A big part of what I want to do in the future is help build platforms and spaces where young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, feel seen, capable and supported,” she says.
That commitment is rooted in her own experiences. Matinka grew up as the second of ten siblings in a household marked by instability, substance abuse and gender-based violence. She is also a first-generation university student in a family where higher education seemed out of reach.
Yet amid those challenges were moments that shaped her understanding of dignity and compassion. She remembers her grandmother, who worked as a domestic worker for nearly four decades, encouraging her to pursue an education and break the cycle of hardship.
She also remembers arriving at school in winter with shoes that were falling apart until a teacher quietly bought her a new pair. “It was one of the first times I understood what it means for someone to see you and respond with care.”
Those experiences would later influence how she viewed leadership and social justice.
Finding purpose in speaking out
Growing up, Matinka witnessed realities that many young people should never have to navigate. Violence against women, child abuse and inequality were part of the environment around her. For a long time, those experiences felt normalised.
Then something shifted. “There was a point where I said enough is enough,” she recalls. “I made a decision to take action and reclaim my sense of power from a situation that had taken so much from me.”
What began as a personal act of resistance gradually evolved into advocacy. As she became more aware of how deeply gender-based violence and injustice affected her community, remaining silent no longer felt possible. “Silence enables perpetrators. It allows them to continue.”
Her activism opened doors to larger platforms. She has spoken on BRICS TV, addressed the Mandela Impact Forum, led human rights initiatives through UNASA and will represent South Africa at an international leadership event in Turkey later this year.
She insists that leadership is not about recognition. “I’m very people-oriented,” she remarks. “If I have the capacity to support someone, I will. If I know someone who can help, I’ll connect them. That comes from my own experiences of receiving kindness and support from others.”
Hope already exists
Much of Matinka’s work focuses on supporting young people from disadvantaged communities through mentorship, educational support and leadership development.
But the communities she serves have changed her as much as she hopes to influence them. “What has shifted in me is that I no longer see hope as something we bring into these spaces,” she explains. “It is something that already exists, even in the most difficult environments.”
She speaks of learners who study by candlelight because there is no electricity at home, and others who care for younger siblings before attending educational programmes. Despite enormous obstacles, they continue showing up, asking questions about university and dreaming about futures that nobody around them has experienced before. “In those moments, it becomes very clear that hope is not something we are handing over. It is something they are already holding onto.”
The experience has reinforced her belief that many young people are not lacking potential, but opportunity. “We are not arriving to fix anything. We are simply being trusted to walk alongside people who are already fighting very hard for their own futures.”
Claiming space
When Matinka arrived at SU, she initially struggled to find her place. She remembers sitting in a lecture hall surrounded by students opening MacBooks and iPads while she took notes in a R5-notebook bought from a discount store. She became conscious of how she dressed, spoke and carried herself. At times, she questioned whether she belonged.
“I genuinely considered dropping out.” What helped her persevere was remembering why she had come.
She realised that her presence at the university represented something larger than herself. Instead of focusing on what she lacked, she began focusing on what she could contribute. She credits her sister, mentors such as Michelle Pietersen from the Centre for the Advancement of Social Impact and Transformation, and fellow student leaders for helping her navigate the journey.
“A lot of my growth has not come from formal structures alone, but from the people I work alongside every day,” she says. “We have grown together while working towards shared goals.”
As South Africa marks the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising this Youth Month, Matinka feels a profound sense of responsibility to honour the legacy of young people who challenged injustice before her. “I feel immense respect for the courage of the youth of 1976. It reminds me that leadership should never become passive or self-focused.”
Asked what she would say to a young girl growing up in poverty or hardship today, her answer reflects the philosophy that guides her work. “You do not have to be extraordinary to deserve a different life. Please do not let the world convince you that your story is already written.”
Story by Hannelie Booyens was first published on Stellenbosch University website as part of #TogetherWeGrow: This Youth Month, we celebrate students who are creating opportunities, building communities and supporting others through mentorship, outreach, peer support and leadership. We also highlight the support structures at Stellenbosch University that help students grow, connect and make a meaningful impact.
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