After an extensive selection process, Bulelani Futshane, a former Bridging Year student and an assistant coordinator of SAEP's Hope Scholars Programme, has been selected to represent South Africa as one of only 17 Spark International "Changemakers", chosen from throughout the country. Recognized for his tireless work as a local leader in Philippi township, Bulelani has an impressive history of commitment to positive social change in his home community.

Bulelani is among the pioneers of SAEP's Bridging Year Programme. After completion of his year with SAEP in 2003, Bulelani assumed the position of Debating Programme Leader in the PPASA (Planned Parenthood of South Africa)/LoveLife Consortium, where he trained and mentored disadvantaged youth on health and sexuality issues. After completing his learnership in 2005, Bulelani joined LoveLife, an HIV/AIDS prevention organisation as their Provincial Games Coordinator of the Western Cape.

In addition to his work on the ground, Bulelani has partnered with the University of Cape Town's Department of Psychiatry to help collect data for research on health issues in the township communities of Khayelitsha, Philippi, Mfuleni and Langa.

Bulelani will travel to Johannesburg in March to represent the work of SAEP and the Bridging Year programme at Spark's national four-day summit at the African Leadership Academy. The conference aims to identify and bring together exceptional community leaders throughout the nation to examine local solutions relevant to development, humanitarian work and social enterprise.