The Profile of Mr Madidimalo Christopher Chaamano

Born, Madidimalo Christopher Chaamano on March 18th, 1972, at Soetfontein Village, Ga-Phooko, in Limpopo Province, he is the seventh born to Mapula Christina Machaba and the late Ngwako Elias Chaamano.

He is married to Legobole and blessed with four children, son and three daughters.

His hobbies include watching sports, reading and writing.

Chaamano is a man ahead of his time. A revolutionary, one that sees the world not for what it is but for what it can be. His work ethic is based on diligence, dedication and prescribed procedure. He is a distinguished achiever, who shuns mediocrity, promotes excellence and thrives for flawlessness.

Chaamano is an eternal optimist, who believes that if we all make a little effort, and filter out all excuses, we will become a more productive society. A teacher, who is willing to take all the time necessary to impart knowledge and provoke meaningful thought.

Chaamano loves to tell stories not only for their entertainment value but for the lessons attached to their endings. The Madidimalo Chaamano footprint leaves a trail of inspiration and a challenge for one to perform to the best of their ability

Chaamano is a passionate community development activist. His love for community development is traced back when he became one of the founders of a rural development association in his home village, Soetfontein. His personal passion in community development is youth development and education. When he was appointed a Student Advisor during his university days, he escalated his advisory role beyond the university boundaries and carried academic brochures home to offer career guidance to local Grade 11 & 12 learners.

In 2001 he started a community based project which offers among others career guidance to high school learners and financial aid to socially in need but academically deserving students. Chaamano believes that a family can be released from the thread of poverty by simply educating its children. As a former soccer coach, Chaamano also advocates the method of edutainment in developing young people.

He argues that while education remains central to youth development, entertainment is arguably the most attractive way of learning for young people.

Madidimalo Chaamano first joined the Department of Public works as a senior manager in the office of the MEC after serving as head of the Office of the Executive Mayor in Mopani District Municipality for four years. Before joining the district municipality, he worked as the Chief Operating Officer for the agency of the Department of Science and Technology, Tshumisano Technology Stations Program.

He cut his managerial teeth in the international aid sector, when he was appointed the Head of the Norwegian People's Aid in South Africa, after serving the same foreign agency for two years as a Project Coordinator. It is during his seven-years trade in the international aid sector, that Chaamano developed to become a profound manager, whose focus is on Performance Management, based on the principle of Clear plans, with fully monitored implementation, guarantees better performance and positive impact. Chaamano is a qualified teacher, he first worked as an assistant teacher for a year at a local high school before completing his studies at the university, and later lectured for almost three years at the then Sekhukhune College of Education.

Chaamano's tertiary education trail started at the then University of the North, now University of Limpopo Turfloop Campus, where he collected an Honours Degree in Criminology after completing a Bachelor of Arts degree and Higher Education Diploma. He went on to complete a post-graduate Diploma in Environmental Education with the then Rand Afrikaanse University, now the University of Johannesburg, Kingsmead Campus. He had an opportunity to study abroad and collected a Certificate in Energy Planning and Sustainable Development from the University of Oslo, Norway. He also carries a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Stellenbosch.

Chaamano is a founder member of the Soetfontein Rural Development Association (SRDA) and he went on to be the Managing Director and Chairperson of the Board of this community based organisation for more than ten years. He also championed the establishment of Sekgosese Community Radio which he chaired the Board for five years. He is still sits in the Board of SRDA as the Director responsible for Public Relations.

Most people in the villages of Sekgosese area, in the Greater Letaba, associate Chaamano with his eight years memorable service in football, when he coached the local football club, Matsena Giant Killers, from armature to Premier Soccer League First Division.

In November 2001, the Community Media Indaba held in Johannesburg, elected Chaamano, representing Sekgosese Community Radio, to be part of the Community Multi-Media Task Team, to develop a community Multi-media Policy Framework for government, which he served for five years as a Chairperson, until it dissolved. He has also served as the Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kgwana Community Centre, a community based organisation in Manganeng, Sekhukhune.

In the foreword of the book titled The Exposition of Baberwa Culture, Chaamano writes that " it is through cultural practices that the present generation can be able to witness the inventiveness and innovativeness of our ancestors and forefathers."

During the launch of the Cultural Music Albums by his local traditional groups, Madidimalo said that '' I find it a disgrace that we still measure people?s intelligence by the way they speak white people's languages. When one plays traditional music he/she is regarded as backward and of low standard.''

''The Most Respected Teacher in our lifetime is the one we hated most when we were still learners or students.'' welcoming the newly elected Board members of the Soetfontein Rural Development Association. Addressing the South African Young Voices Network conference, Chaamano advised the delegates that ''All these opportunities will remain useless unless we, the intended beneficiaries, baswa (youth), do not pursue efforts to usher ourselves into it.''

''Most good decisions are like a healthy diet, they are not nice.'', speaking at the Inauguration of the Board of Directors of Soetfontein Rural Development Association. Speaking to young people attending the South African Young Voices Network workshop, he reiterated that ''Young people should not be ashamed of their age and confuse fear with respect, but be proud of their innocence and take full part in the processes of life, particularly on issues that affect their lives and their future, and hopefully safe our world.''

''The expression "I don't know", especially when it is said quickly and with misleading confidence, is mostly used as a defensive mechanism to dismiss accountability or shy away from responsibility.'', motivating learners at the Grade 12 Farewell Function of Pelo-ya-Kgomo High School.