SCANDAL actor Kagiso Modupe believes poverty can be rooted out by empowering the youth through education.

Modupe, who plays Mangi on e.tv's Scandal, was speaking after being named an ambassador of Agang Sechaba, along with Vanessa Carreira-Coutroulis and Sureshnie Rider.

The three will support Agang Sechaba and its initiatives in developing communities, especially through educational advancement of needy but academically excellent students.

They join other celebs, Basetsana Kumalo and Motshabi Tyelele, who have worked with the organisation for years.

Modupe believes empowering the youth through education is the only way to break the shackles of poverty in South Africa.

"I am happy to be part of this initiative. It will play a big role for kids in the townships. I was once in a position where there were no funds for me to further my education," he says.

The Scandal star says he joined Agang because its values were very much in line with his.

He added that Agang's ambassadors visited schools and offered bursaries to matric pupils who performed well but could not afford a tertiary education.

"Many young black girls from the townships do not go far with their education because they often become pregnant at a young age."

Modupe says working with people like Basetsana Kumalo, who was a true inspiration to young black women, was an honour.

Rider says she became part of Agang because of her passion to impart knowledge and to see children from disadvantaged communities have a fair shot in life.

Businesswoman and former Miss SA Carreira-Coutroulis expressed her love for mentoring the girls that Agang worked with.