The founder and CEO of the Organization: Godfrey Obakeng Maruma

Godrey Maruma was born and raised in Bochum, Limpopo where he did his Primary School. He fell in love with music and started doing Choir at his school and church at a young age. He moved to Gauteng, Zandsprite (Honeydew, Randburg) where he did his High School where he started doing Visual Arts as well as joining the local community Choir. After completing his Matric he went to College where he did Ancillary Nursing, then after completing the course he did some short courses like ECD Level 1 and Thandilwazi Teacher’s Workshop (from Grade R to Grade 3). Then after completing all his courses he went to work multiple jobs as well as volunteering in multiple NGO’s, with his last job being at Jafta’s Old Age Home, where he developed the idea of starting his own Organization after visiting LoveLife where they gave them along with others an advice to start their own organizations to help the communities. When he was retrenched in 2003, he started doing research around Ebony Park where he was living which was about the Community Profile. He along with Mr. David Lucas who was his mentor looked at ways of helping the Youth to stay away from the streets to avoid Drugs & Alcohol Abuse, Teenage Pregnancy and Crime; as well as reducing the high unemployment rate. After their research, in 2005 they decided to start the Organization called Trendsetters Youth Foundation with their 1st project being Life Skills, where they were going to different schools and teaching the students about the importance of Life Skills, then early 2006 they introduced the 2nd project of Visual Arts under the guidance of Mishack Mashati which was a huge success as many artists joined and they participated and joined a lot of competitions which they won most of them. Then in 2008 they introduced the 3rd project which was Soccer Development under the guidance of Harold Mogwane and Dolphy Monama which was also a huge success as they participated in a lot of competitions and trials, with the biggest achievement coming in 2010 where they went to trials with teams like Mamelodi Sundowns FC and other professional football teams that were participating in the PSL & NFD at the time, all made possible thanks to ‘Big Up Talk Show’. In 2010 again they introduced the 4th project which was called a Study Group (now called Tutoring Classes) under the guidance of Kagiso Thekiso and it was a huge success as a lot of students who were part of the Organization started doing extremely well at school, with Metrics going to Universities and doing their dream courses and graduating at the end and finding good jobs after that, the project was helping Grade 10’s to Grade 12’s at the time and as time went by they by started helping Grade 4’s to Grade 9’s as well when Thabo Nyabanga (who is in charge of Tutoring Classes) introduced Trendsetters Kids Club After School Program in 2019, as well as introducing Kids games in the same year. In 2014 they introduced their 5th project Music under the guidance of Andries Sibathi who just completed his tertiary degree at University which was about Music, then a 6th Project followed which is Drama under the guidance of Ezekiel Mathebula in 2018. In January 2022 they also ddecided to add Poetry under the guidance Bongani Msimango.

His goals and vision for the Organization a global project in a couple of years’ time, where they will have their own school and skill development center, with many branches around the world. As for the Soccer Development he wishes to see it playing in the PSL, with both males and the females’ teams and developing players mostly from the poor backgrounds. He also wishes to see Arts & Culture (Visual Arts, Drama, Music and Poetry) flourishing where its students will be participating in Global Competitions along some of the best in the world. So he would really love it if everyone especially community people as well as public and private businesses support his Organization with funds, sponsorships and any materials and equipment’s needed in order to make that vision a quick reality. If you want to talk to him, please Contact him using the information below:

godfreymaruma@gmail.com

(+27) 81 318 1440