Prime Youth Ascent empowers South African young people with the education, skills, and mentorship they need to rise — from high school to university, entrepreneurship, and beyond.
Programmes designed specifically for South African youth navigating real challenges.
Every learner is connected with professionals, mentors, and role models.
From AI literacy to entrepreneurship — equipping youth for tomorrow's world.
Built from within communities, by people who understand the journey firsthand.
Six interconnected pathways designed to take young people from wherever they are to wherever they want to go.
Academic tutoring, matric prep & study skills
University applications, NSFAS & bursary support
Digital literacy, AI tools, robotics & coding
Whether you're a learner, parent, school, or potential partner — there's a place for you at Prime Youth Ascent.
Get In TouchBorn 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 Tshabalala, Founder | Daveyton, Benoni | University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
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: Mangope Selatola, Brudance Meletse, Orefile Murwa, and Matsobane Mamabolo — all 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.
No young person rises alone. Community is our foundation.
We hold high standards — for ourselves and every learner we serve.
Our programmes are rooted in the real South African context, not imported models.
We do what we say, say what we mean, and put learners first — always.
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.
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.
Six interconnected pathways — each designed to equip South African youth for a different dimension of success.
Academic foundation & matric success
Navigating the path ahead
Future-ready technology skills
Building enterprise and money skills
Character, confidence & leadership
Giving back, growing together
Reach out and we'll help you find the right pathway for your goals.
Register Your InterestSelect your subjects, enter your marks, and instantly see which universities and degrees you genuinely qualify for in 2027 — based on your actual subjects and marks.
Choose each subject from the dropdown. Select up to 7 subjects (excluding Life Orientation which is added automatically). Your APS is calculated using the Wits/standard 7-point scale.
Important: Requirements are based on 2027 official prospectus data. Meeting minimums does not guarantee admission — universities also consider NBT results and limited spaces. Always confirm with the university. Need help applying? Contact us for free guidance.
Whether you're a learner, parent, school, mentor, or sponsor — we'd love to hear from you.
Prime Youth Ascent is always looking to connect with young people ready to rise, schools wanting to partner, professionals ready to mentor, and organisations ready to invest in South Africa's youth.
Benoni, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
primeyouthascent@gmail.com
+27 81 524 7486
Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM