Our Story
Born from lived experience, by students who faced the system without a map and decided to become one for others.
"When I arrived at university in 2024, I had no idea what I was supposed to do. Nobody had told me about the application process. I didn't even know I had to register. I didn't know how accommodation worked. I was completely lost, and I was not alone."
- Bamile Mduduzi Tshabalala, Founder & Chairperson
Daveyton, Benoni | University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
Bamile Mduduzi Tshabalala
Founder & Chairperson
Built by Those Who Lived It
Prime Youth Ascent was born out of real, lived experience, not a boardroom strategy. In late 2025, Bamile Tshabalala, a student from Daveyton, Benoni studying at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), looked back at their first year and saw how much had been left to chance.
As a matriculant, there had been no guidance on how to apply to university, no one to explain NSFAS, no preparation for the shock of registration day, no map for navigating accommodation, timetables, or the emotional weight of being the first in the family to walk through a university gate. The system assumed knowledge that no one had ever given.
Bamile didn't just survive. They turned the struggle into a mission. First Year Success Network was founded with the support of fellow students including Brudance Meletse and Matsobane Mamabolo from Polokwane, Limpopo and communities across Gauteng. Different backgrounds, different home provinces, one shared truth: the information existed, it just wasn't reaching the people who needed it most.
Together they built what they wished had existed. By late 2025, First Year Success Network had grown into Prime Youth Ascent, a broader organisation supporting South African youth from high school through to careers, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
We are not outsiders looking in. We grew up in the same communities, attended the same kinds of schools, and faced the same system. That is our greatest qualification.
Our Core Values
Ubuntu
No young person rises alone. Community is our foundation.
Excellence
We hold high standards for ourselves and every learner we serve.
Relevance
Our programmes are rooted in the real South African context, not imported models.
Integrity
We do what we say, say what we mean, and put learners first, always.
Our Mission
To empower South African youth with the education, skills, guidance, and networks they need to discover and pursue meaningful pathways to success, whether through university, employment, entrepreneurship or community leadership.
Our Vision
A South Africa where every young person, regardless of background, geography, or circumstance, has access to the tools, mentorship, and opportunity to rise to their fullest potential.
Meet the Team
Founded by young people who lived the challenges we now help others overcome. More team members and mentors coming soon.
