Artist: Andile
Andile Carelse is a South African kwaito singer/songwriter, sexual rights campaigner and television presenter, best known as the host of the SABC1 docu-reality series Khumbul\'ekhaya, since 2006.
Born in Soweto, Carelse has been in the music scene since her early twenties, releasing albums in South Africa and a single with BMG records. Her outgoing nature was a natural fit for developing friendships with musicians, performers and football stars.
To diversify her professional profile and to boost the longevity of her career, Andile chose radio as her medium and trained at Yfm radio station in Johannesburg.
Her interest in the non-profit world led her to get Yfm to initiate a department called YCARES. As CSR director she has made extensive contacts in South Africa in the areas of HIV/Aids, entrepreneurship, education, and sexual violence.
In 2001, Andile was working at Yfm when she heard a young woman call in and threaten to commit suicide because she had been sexually abused. This incident was a catalyst for Andile to speak out about her own abuse in the hopes of helping other young people seek treatment.
She revealed her history of sexual abuse, including her rape at the age of 11 by her father.
When she began talking publicly of her own history of childhood sexual abuse live on radio hundreds of calls flooded the radio station; half came from adults who wanted to volunteer or help, and half were young people who had been sexually abused.
Andile consulted with experts in the field and arranged meetings with groups of the callers, thus beginning her successful Open Disclosure programme.
She was subsequently asked to present the docu-reality show Khumbul\'ekhaya, as she fit perfectly with the values the show promotes: courage to communicate and the strength to resolve family problems.
