A Breede Valley native has excelled by winning an award in a skills training and development course held locally.
Roneatens Stevens (26) grew up in Robertson, but lives between Robertson and Worcester. She attended Langeberg Senior Secondary school and studied at Boland College, where she graduated with a diploma in Human Resources.
In 2021 Stevens completed a skills development course with iKasi Creative Media in Worcester.
According to iKasi their mission is to present skills training and development programmes in rural communities for the film and media industry, hopefully ending in employment, job creation and entrepreneurial development. As one of iKasi’s success stories, Stevens is a star graduate who won a Mojo Award for a promo video she made.
The project, which was filmed in a local Robertson cellphone and electronics store, was titled Khan’s cell and accessories Khans Shop. In this short video, Stevens interviewed the owner about the shop, how he runs his business, where it started, client services and products. He was very open and informative and well organised.
Currently, Stevens is also working on a new film called Below The Water, based on mental and socio-economic issues in society.
“It is about how people struggle to keep their heads above water to provide for their families and youth who suffer from depression after their parents separate,” she said.
As a result of doing the iKasi course, doors of opportunities have opened up for Stevens.
Stevens completed the Train the Trainer programme in September 2021 and is now an accredited facilitator with a level-1 first aid qualification.
In 2022 she was accepted into the Sunshine Cinema Learnership Programme (The Spark Impact Programme), which gives her access to screen films that have not been released in South Africa, using Sunshine Cinema solar-powered mobile cinema (The Sunbox).
These screenings are used as an educational tool for communities to create conversations. Through this programme Stevens is also learning to produce podcasts, host events, facilitate discussions and create digital and social media content.
She was among 20 youth who were selected out of 300 candidates across South Africa and among the three selected from the Western Cape.
“The impact iKasi made on my life was huge, for it opened my heart to accept myself as an artist. For a long time I ignored my talents, and I tried to pursue things that were not within my reach.
“But ever since I started my journey with iKasi my personal development improved, I am more motivated and anything is possible.”
