Latest news with #Liyana
News24
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- News24
‘My greatest joy': Lungile Thabethe and DJ Speedsta celebrate daughter's 1st birthday
Lungile Thabethe and DJ Speedsta celebrated their daughter Liyana's first birthday with a Minnie Mouse-themed party. The influencer mom shared heartfelt reflections about the joy of raising her vibrant and intelligent daughter. She described Liyana as her greatest blessing and her 'heart in human form.' South African media personality Lungile Thabethe and her partner, Lesego Nkaiseng, known by his stage name DJ Speedsta, just celebrated their daughter Liyana's first birthday. The couple, who started dating three years ago, marked the occasion with the cutest Minnie Mouse-themed birthday party, sharing various photos and videos on Instagram. The adorable celebration took place just days after Lungile's sister, Ayanda, said 'I Do' in an intimate, headline-making wedding ceremony. The young mom also penned a lengthy message to her daughter, expressing her immense pride. 'Watching you grow this past year has been the greatest joy of my life. You are a marvel to me — so full of life, so vibrant, intelligent, curious and incredibly beautiful, inside and out. Every smile, every little milestone, every moment with you has felt like a glimpse of something sacred,' she said. 'You've brought colour and light into my world in a way I could never have imagined until you arrived. I've always known I wanted to be a mother, but I also felt I was meant to be a mother to one special and brilliant child. And God, in His perfect wisdom, chose you. You are my one and only, my biggest blessing, my answered prayer. Lungile ended the post by adding that her daughter is her 'heart in human form' and that she will always be proud to be her mom. Take a look at the beautiful post below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lungile Thabethe (@lungilethabethe)
CNA
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
‘Kids with no future?' 3 teens in Singapore share why they quit school and how they're rebuilding
SINGAPORE: Two years ago, Mohd Sulaiman Mohd Lizam became a father and officially withdrew from secondary school to support his young family — taking on night shifts at warehouses and working as a delivery rider. As he turned 17, he believed school dropouts like himself were seen as 'kids with no future'. But that outlook recently changed when he learnt that he had received S$4,187 in donations, far beyond the S$1,500 goal his social worker had set in a campaign. The support came from viewers who had watched the On The Red Dot series, Dropouts, which followed the lives of three young Singaporeans, including him, who had left school early. 'Most of it is going to my daughter's stuff,' he told CNA Insider. 'The rest of it is (for) saving.' Among other acts of kindness, an anonymous viewer paid for Sulaiman's Normal (Technical) exams, which he will sit as a private candidate this year. A former teacher of his also reached out and donated S$300, plus 'biscuits, diapers and stuff' for his 18-month-old girl, Liyana. '(Their comments) … are the things that no one's ever said to me,' he said. 'I didn't know that there were this many people (who) believed in me.' Online commenters also heaped praise on him after the series aired. On YouTube, @kurogax wrote, 'Showing up and daring to take responsibility at such (a) young age is something you don't see every day.' Others lauded his parenting. Instagram user @kipperwinkle wrote, 'Fair play to this young lad (for) keeping his daughter's interests in mind and doing what he can to make sure she has all she needs growing up.' One message that meant more than most to Sulaiman, however, came from a father who said the teenager's story motivated him 'to keep himself closer to his kids'. While grateful, Sulaiman is still adjusting to the attention. He recalled a group of children running up to him after watching the show at school. 'I just said to them, yeah, just don't do the shit I did,' he laughed. Christine Ng, who also featured in the series, was equally surprised by the positivity. Having dropped out in Secondary 3, she said people often jumped to conclusions and assumed dropouts like her were 'losers'. But some viewers looked below the surface. For example, @abbylaikahei thought Christine was mature. 'She doesn't blame anyone else, and she knows she's the one with issues,' wrote the YouTube user, 'compared to many people who are older than her but will blame the world, blame the government (and) their parents for their circumstances.' Now 17, Christine channels her energy into freelance digital marketing, relying on passion to make up for her limited formal training. Following the show, she has received offers of collaboration through the comment sections, and her client base has grown to four regulars. She has since refined her approach — trading cold calls for advertising and networking events. Not all comments, however, were charitable. Youtube user @mrlaoben said Christine was 'extremely fortunate to have been born to rich parents' and blamed them for 'enabling her behaviour'. Another viewer, @dnsh1762, scoffed: 'Ain't no way (she) dropped out just 'cause she couldn't make friends.' Christine, who cited mental health struggles and social isolation as her reasons for leaving school, is not taking such comments to heart. 'People don't know my (full) story,' she said. 'They may see one part of the documentary and come up with a conclusion.' The third teen featured, Nurul Afiqah Anati Isa, was more wary of the online scrutiny and said she had looked at only some comments. The 18-year-old, who dropped out in Secondary 2, knew that appearing on camera had its risks, especially with her past in juvenile rehabilitation centres such as the Singapore Girls' Home now made public. But viewers such as @MiloDinosaur-o6w were supportive and 'rooting for her to find her niche and (hoping) that she's always resilient'. Another YouTube user commended the teenage trio for sharing their stories. 'I'm very touched by your stories and your willingness to turn your lives around,' @moozel4757 wrote. On The Red Dot found out why they left school and how they are forging ahead, one step at a time. NOT ONLY ABOUT STUDIES BUT CIRCUMSTANCES According to Singapore's education ministry, the last five years have seen less than one in 100 students leave secondary school without completing it. It was not simply a case of teenage angst or dislike for studying, however, for the three teens in On The Red Dot. They all experienced some form of isolation at school. Sulaiman often felt 'alone in a class', while Afiqah remembers the sting of being ostracised. Afiqah ran away from home in Primary 6 and was placed in a Pertapis welfare home, then the Singapore Girls' Home, where she studied until midway through Secondary 2. Upon re-entering a mainstream school, she was two years older than her classmates — and painfully aware of it. 'Somebody in school found out about my past and my age, even though my teachers and my student welfare officer had already agreed not to share (that) with anyone,' she recounted. 'I felt that they were always looking at my tattoos, though I put (on) plasters to cover them, and talking behind my back.' Eventually, the discomfort became too much, and she decided to leave school. Christine, meanwhile, recalled being described as 'bubbly' in her early primary school report cards — someone who got along well with her peers. But everything changed in Primary 5. Her grades plunged, and pressure from parents and tutors eroded her interest in school altogether. By the time she entered Secondary 1 in 2021, she 'totally forgot how to interact' with her classmates. 'I'd go to school and then just sit there, just dazed, just try to make friends, but it didn't work out,' she said. 'That's when I decided I should stop going to school.' At home, the isolation deepened. While her family was not ashamed of her, she herself felt 'very embarrassed' and pushed everyone away. She found escape in online games — like Roblox games with voice chats, where she could meet people. 'It's quite fun to have friends online, also because you have someone to talk to,' she said. My only friend was my computer.' Soon she was gaming up to 15 hours a day, sometimes without sleep — a hobby turned addiction that delayed her brief return to school by nearly a year and a half. Worried about her mental health, her parents sought help. She was later diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder and bipolar disorder. While the diagnoses made sense, she took months to come to terms with them as she wondered, 'Why must it always be me?' For Sulaiman, there was not much time to dwell on his situation when he found out, at age 15, that his partner, Azirah, was pregnant. He had already been skipping classes and struggling to stay engaged in school, but fatherhood marked a turning point. He remembers Azirah's father telling him in Malay, 'Berani buat, berani tanggung (If you dare to do it, you must dare to take responsibility).' 'I dared to make a baby with my partner,' Sulaiman said. So I must be daring (enough) to take the responsibility, … which I did.' WORKING THEIR WAY UP Today, Sulaiman and Azirah, 19, take turns working delivery shifts. He hopes to become a mechanic, however, and achieve financial stability for his family. For that, he knows he will need to earn his N(T)-Level exam certificate first. Enter Project Starfish, a programme offering free classes for out-of-school youth preparing to take the N(T)-Level exam privately. Lessons are held every Monday, and Sulaiman attends every class unless he has a valid reason not to, such as needing to work an extra shift or his daughter falling sick. It is a far cry from how he would skip school just because he had overslept. His anxiety has also eased since his first day, when he was all nerves walking into a room with 60 to 70 unfamiliar faces. Many boys in the class reached out to him. 'I was kind of lonely here since it wasn't my home (ground) — so yeah, (we) can be friends,' he recounted. They even have a Telegram group where classmates share life updates and, on class days, make group calls so that everyone wakes up on time. There are still moments of regret. He misses the routine of school and sometimes compares himself with his peers who have moved on. 'When I see people my age studying, I definitely feel the sadness because I could've been there,' he said. But when these feelings creep in, he stays focused on what matters most. '(When) I look (Liyana) in the eye, it just makes me want to keep going and never stop,' he said. 'I keep a positive (mindset in) making sure that my daughter has a better future than me.' Fatherhood has changed him, he added. 'Without her, till now I'd really be an impatient type of person. Last time, I had anger issues; I couldn't control myself.' Christine, too, has been rebuilding. Therapy and medication have helped clear her mind and strengthen her resolve. Since officially withdrawing from school last year, she has completed a month of training in the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) of Singapore's vocational and soft skills programme, which helps out-of-school youths with job competency and employment opportunities. There, she learnt about money management, setting career goals and writing a resume. Afterwards she took a digital marketing course at Hatch, YMCA's vocational training partner, to sharpen her marketing and user experience and user interface design skills. In a similar vein, Afiqah has become more independent and proactive at home — cooking, doing laundry, helping her mother — and more focused on preparing for this year's N(T)-Levels as a private candidate. With help from Impart, a charity supporting youth in need, she gets weekly tuition in English, Malay, science and mathematics — and studies at least two hours a day, three to four times a week. She hopes to be an accountant, acknowledging that she 'finally' has a sense of direction. 'Some of my family members are working in the finance industry, and I also love maths,' she said. 'I need to really work my way up there.' Her efforts are showing. 'I can tell that she's very motivated, from seeing how many practices she's done,' said her tutor, Amirah Nurhuda. She's marked (them) by herself, done her own corrections, and … she's also quite a fast learner.' But it is a race against time for her and Sulaiman as they catch up on years of material in mere months. 'We're studying (at a) fast pace,' said Sulaiman. 'I've had issues (catching) up, but slowly … I'll be there.' Both teens plan to attend the Institute of Technical Education after their exams — Sulaiman aiming for mechanic-related courses, and Afiqah for finance. The latter hopes that by sharing their stories, they can inspire other school dropouts to keep searching for ways to find the light at the end of the tunnel. It is about getting back on track, agreed Christine, who plans on earning her secondary education certificate in two years' time, enrolling in a business course at polytechnic and then properly launching her own company with a team in place. '(Dropping out) is something that I chose,' reflected Christine, who is focused on growing her freelance business for now. 'I can't back out even though things may get hard.' One thing is for sure, she will not let people's opinions affect her, 'because in the long run', she said, 'it's going to be you versus yourself'.
Straits Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Red Dot United to pay $900 removal fee for election posters found within 50m of polling stations
The Elections Department will consider waiving the fee if the posters prove to have been tampered with, as Red Dot United had earlier claimed. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Red Dot United to pay $900 removal fee for election posters found within 50m of polling stations SINGAPORE - Opposition party Red Dot United (RDU) will have to pay $900 to the Elections Department (ELD) for 18 election posters removed on Cooling-off Day. But ELD will consider waiving this fee if the posters prove to have been tampered with, as RDU had earlier claimed. On May 9, Ms Liyana Dhamirah, one of RDU's candidates for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC, posted a video about how some of her party's posters in the constituency had been moved without their knowledge. She said the posters had been deliberately taken down and re-tied in places that would breach guidelines, so the party would be fined. Traditional election advertising material, like election posters, are not allowed within 50m of polling stations to avoid unduly influencing voters. RDU told The Straits Times on May 9 that Ms Liyana's post was 'a personal reflection of her own frustration', but added that tampering seemed likely from its preliminary checks. In her post, Ms Liyana said she spent most of Cooling-off Day taking down posters. 'When we put them up, we used black zip ties. But when I went to take them down? White zip ties held them in place. That's not a coincidence,' she added. In response to ST's queries, ELD said on May 26 that it has advised RDU to make a police report if it suspects sabotage or mischief. It is prepared to consider waiving the $50 removal fee for each poster, if police investigations find the claims to be true. RDU said it will consult its central executive committee before deciding if it will pursue the matter. ELD also said it had continued to get complaints about RDU's posters in prohibited areas between 9pm on Cooling-off Day and the early hours of Polling Day. Between Nomination Day and 9pm on Cooling-off Day, parties have three hours to remove any posters that break the rules. On Polling Day, they have one hour to do so. If such breaches are not rectified within the given time, Aetos Security Management (Aetos) will remove the materials. ELD added that the Returning Officer waived the removal fee for posters removed on Polling Day, due to heavy rain that morning. The weather would have hampered parties' ability to rectify all breaches within an hour, and posed safety concerns for those doing so, ELD said. But the fee was not waived for the 18 posters Aetos removed on Cooling-off Day, it added. ST understands that RDU's deadline for paying the $900 removal fee is May 27. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
IOL News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Luyanda Zuma on joining the cast of season 2 of ‘Shaka iLembe'
Actress Luyanda Zuma is among the fresh faces that have joined the cast of "Shaka iLembe". Picture: Supplied Image: Supplied 'Shaka iLembe' returns for its highly anticipated second season with new additions to the cast. Actress Luyanda Zuma joins the cast as Liyana, a role that promises to shake things up and reveal a new side of the legendary Zulu king. Speaking to IOL, the vibrant young star expressed her excitement about joining the historical drama. 'I've been on a couple of other shows before this one, but I think this one is special,' she said. 'Anyone who speaks isiZulu dreams of being on 'Shaka iLembe'. I'm honoured to have a seat at this table.' Zuma's character will be introduced in the new season as King Shaka's love interest. 'She's a very strong, hot-headed individual who only stands for the truth and who she is — and she doesn't back down from that,' the actress explains. 'Her biggest idol is Queen Mkabayi, and that already tells you about the kind of woman she is.' This new romantic thread in Shaka's story adds emotional depth to a series known for its rich historical narrative. Zuma says viewers will get a rare glimpse into the human side of the warrior king. 'We get to see that it's not because he hated women, there were just certain promises he made to certain individuals,' she reflects. 'With Liyana, we see a side of him that lets a woman into his space, even if he has boundaries. If he could love his mother, what would stop him from loving someone else?' While Liyana's relationship with Shaka is central, the actress hints at deeper themes to be explored including legacy, power, and the complexities of leadership. She also acknowledges the weight of portraying such a layered narrative at a young age. 'It's a beautiful and overwhelming story to tell at the same time,' she says. 'But I'm grateful for the opportunity to help colour this man Shaka not just as a king, but as a person.' 'Shaka iLembe' debuts on Mzansi screens on June 15 on DStv channel 161.
Straits Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Jet-lagged Liyana Indah Rickit captains Meridian to three-peat in B Division Girls' football
SINGAPORE – She was not expected to feature in the B Division girls' football final on May 9, as Liyana Indah Rickit was still feeling the effects of jet lag after returning from an overseas trip the previous morning. However, the determined 15-year-old captain refused to be denied, leading Meridian Secondary School to a decisive 3-0 victory against the CBP W3 combined team at Jalan Besar Stadium, and even scored the final goal herself to seal the win. Her coach Fadio da Silva was full of praise for the dedicated captain after Meridian won their third straight National School Games (NSG) B Division title. 'She's a very important player. She came back yesterday morning from overseas. She's still jet-lagged, but she still wanted to come and play. It's not easy, so I really (have to) salute Liyana,' said the 51-year-old. 'Her leadership, her personality is very good. She's very committed.' Secondary 4 student Liyana, who scored all four goals in their 4-3 win over Queensway Secondary in the 2024 final, was glad to have the chance to mark her final outing for the school. 'I just want to win with my team. We worked very hard for this. I really am thankful that I have this opportunity to lead all my amazing teammates.' Liyana Indah Rickit (in red) played the full game despite being jet-lagged. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO An early blitz proved to be the difference in the final, with Nayli Elvira putting Meridian 2-0 up, her second goal an audacious lob over goalkeeper Claire Mok after a long pass from Liyana. 'I feel proud that I get to score early in the first half,' said Nayli, 15. 'It brings our spirits and confidence up so we can relax and control the game from there.' When asked about her finish for the second goal, she said: 'I saw the space behind the keeper so I just decided to chip (the ball) over.' Liyana Indah Rickit (left) and Nayli Elvira (right) combined for Meridian's second goal. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Her electric pace and hard running earned acclaim from Da Silva, who described Nayli as the 'best player on the pitch'. He added: 'She's very fast and we have players that can make long passes to her. We know that she always has the opportunity to make the runs and face the goal. We did exactly that and we were able to score the goals in the first half. 'That's (our) way,' he said about his team's fast and aggressive start. 'We always try and get as (many) chances in the first half.' Liyana scored just before the half-hour mark as Meridian saw out the win, despite playing with one fewer player after one of the players was injured. 'I just tried to encourage them, to push to the end because it's our last game. If one got tired or went down then we would cover for that person,' said Liyana. For CBP W3, a combined team from Methodist Girls' School, Westwood Secondary School and Boon Lay Secondary School, luck played a role in their first appearance in an NSG final since their formation. There was nothing to separate them with Tampines Secondary School after the round-robin stage and CBP W3 won the final berth via a draw of lots. 'We thought it would not be possible. It was really a scare for us,' said captain Tessa Chang on their road to the final. 'There's always things you can't control.' Despite the defeat, she was still immensely proud of her team. 'I don't think we were just a bunch of players that were suddenly put together. We became a family and treated each other like family.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
