Andile Carelse

Andile Carelse
Andile Carelse

Andile Carelse was born in Soweto on the 13th of September 1973. She is a South African kwaito singer, songwriter, sexual rights campaigner and television presenter. She is best known as the host of MTV.

Andile Carelse has been in the music industry since her early twenties. As a musician, Andile released several albums in South Africa and a single with BMG records. She developed a good relationship with musicians, performers and football stars through her outgoing personality. Andile was trained at Yfm radio station in Johannesburg. Her interest in the non-profit world has led her to get Yfm to start a department called YCARES. She became a director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and she made contacts in the areas of HIV/AIDS, entrepreneurship, education and victims of sexual violence.

Andile herself is a rape survivor. In 2001, she went public with her story of being sexually abused by her father at the age of 11. She told the story live on radio and hundreds of people called the radio station to comfort and support her. Andile was touched by a caller who called Yfm and threatened to commit suicide because she had been sexually abused. That was when Andile realized that rape survivors are dying inside, if they don't talk about their experiences. She realized that she could not sit back and fold her arms. She consulted the experts and arranged meetings with the callers. She then decided to start a programme called "Open Disclosure Programme". In this programme people are encouraged to disclose their situations and they get help from experts.

Andile called upon celebrities to participate in school programs through performances and open discussions about sexual abuse. They toured around the continent to deliver powerful messages of hope to the people including children. Andile's goal for the programme is to see abused children get past the shame, fear and isolation they feel. She is also aiming at achieving societal change regarding sexual violence in South Africa.

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Page Created: 16 November 2010