Opportunities abound
“At the Emdeni Skills Centre, we strive to be the stepping stone, for our youth, to the next level of their journey and career”- Kuphela Baduza, Emdeni Skills Centre manager. The skills acquired at the centre are entry level and rarely qualify our students for permanent long term employment. However, these skills, do give them access to opportunities that qualify them for learnerships and bridging courses. Many of our students are from homes dependent on social grants and securing a commitment fee of R350 for a course, at times is difficult.
State funding helps to supplement the cost but that also does not cover everything. In the end it is donors, who invest in the training of students that make the programme possible. With the support of their facilitators and financial backing of donors, our students are able to access life changing opportunities and are a step closer to escaping the poverty trap and take their families along.
One course that has given many of our students access to great opportunities is the Assistant Chef course facilitated by Patrick Mabalane. Some of our Assistant Chef students already have catering businesses and have come to brush up on their skills. Our students recently laid the table for our guests at the Business Breakfast and others have used their new found skills at huge events such as the South African president’s inauguration. So, it came as no surprise when six of our students from the course were accepted into the Professional Cookery Programme at the prestigious Capsicum Culinary Studio.
Katlego Morweng, Nontuthuzelo Rozani, Mbali Dhlamini, Noxolo Molefe, Thandiwe Mazibuko and Thuli wake up early every morning knowing that they have been given a chance to fulfil their dreams. These young women are from similar backgrounds. They come from one parent households or were raised by a grandparent. Family members are unemployed and depend on social grants. An opportunity such as this means the world to these students as some of them did not complete Matric, went to under privileged schools and are the first or second person in their family to progress beyond secondary school.
The women had to go through a gruelling interview process that taught them a lot. “I was very scared initially, but was made to feel relaxed and welcomed. I learnt about the different opportunities and levels within this industry”, says one student.
As of 3 August 2019, these former students began their training at Capsicum. They have emphasised how this opportunity has made them feel special and privileged. “This means a lot to me and has changed my life. I’ve always wanted to be a chef. This will kick start my career and help make my family proud. I’m the second one in my family to study further”, says Mbali Dhlamini.
“Our students need more opportunities like this. Working with a company like Capsicum validates what we do and the skills we offer. It shows the community that the services we provide are beneficial. These kinds of opportunities give our students something to aim for and work towards”, says Kuphela.
Asked what they plan on doing upon completion of the programme at Capsicum, the students had this to say:
“I want to cater for canteens and events” – Thandiwe.
“I have a registered catering business, but still need capital to get it off the ground. I will be working towards that” – Katlego.
“I want to find a job that will help me grow and sharpen my skills. I would like to save enough money to eventually have my own Bed & Breakfast business” – Mbali.
“We are very proud of our girls and wish them well on their next step into the culinary industry. We are sure that the dreams and visions they have for their careers will come to fruition”, says Kuphela.
If you want to invest in the future of young people in Soweto, please speak to one of the Social Funding Developers at Abraham Kriel Bambanani. Tel. no 011 839-3058 or email us at info@abrahamkriel.org
‘n Goeie geleentheid
“By die ‘Emdeni Skills Centre’ streef ons daarna om ‘n vastrapplek te wees sodat jeug kan vorder na die volgende vlak van hulle loopbaan.” – aldus Kuphela Baduza, bestuurder van die ‘Emdeni Skills Centre’. Die vaardighede wat ons beskikbaar stel by die sentrum is op intreevlak en sal selde dien as ‘n kwalifikasie vir permanente indiensneming. Wat die kursusse wel in slaag is om studente toegang te gee tot geleenthede waar hulle kan kwalifiseer in leerlingskappe en oorbruggingskursusse. Vele leerders kom van huise wat afhanklik is van maatskaplike toelaes en om selfs net die aanvanklike fooi van R350 vir ‘n kursus te betaal is moeilik.
Staatsfinansiering help om die koste te dek , maar dit betaal nie vir alles nie. Uiteindelik is dit donateurs wat belê in die opleiding van studente wat die program moontlik maak. Met die ondersteuning van hulle fasiliteerders en die finansiële rugsteun van donateurs kan ons studente toegang kry tot geleenthede wat hulle lewens totaal kan verander en hulle ‘n stappie nader bring daaraan om die bose kringloop van armoede en onkunde te ontsnap.
Een van die kursusse wat vele studente ‘n hupstoot gegee het is die van Assistent Sjef, wat Patrick Mabalane fasiliteer. Van die studente het reeds geregistreerde spysenieringsbesighede en woon die kursus by om hulle vaardighede op te skerp. So het studente onlangs die spyseniering gedoen vir ons besigheidsontbyt. Ander het hulle nuwe vaardighede aangewend by ‘n groot geleentheid soos die inhuldiging van die Suid-Afrikaanse president. Dit wat dus nie ‘n groot verrassing toe ses van die groep studente onlangs gekeur is vir die professionele kookprogram by die hoogaangeskrewe Capsicum Culinary Studio nie.
Katlego Morweng, Nontuthuzelo Rozani, Mbali Dhlamini, Noxolo Molefe, Thandiwe Mazibuko en Thuli word elke dag wakker met die wete dat hulle ‘n kans gekry het om hulle drome te vervul. Die jong vroue kom uit enkelouer huishoudings of is deur ‘n ouma of oupa grootgemaak. Familielede is werkloos en maak staat op staatstoelaes. ‘n Geleentheid soos die beteken geweldig baie vir die jongmense siende dat van hulle nie eers matriek gemaak het nie, minder bevoorregte skole bygewoon het en hulle die eerste of tweede persoon is in hulle families wat verder vorder as ‘n basiese skoolopleiding.
Die jong vroue moes ‘n baie moeilike onderhoud deurstaan, waaruit hulle baie geleer het. “Ek was aanvanklik baie bang, maar is gemaklik gemaak deur die verwelkomende atmosfeer. Ek het geleer van die verskillende geleenthede en vlakke in hierdie industrie”, vertel een student.
Die voormalige studente het op 3 Augustus 2019 hulle opleiding by Capsicum begin. Hulle bevestig dat die geleentheid hulle besonder bevoorreg laat voel het. “Dit beteken baie en het my lewe verander. Ek wou nog altyd ‘n sjef wees. Dit sal my loopbaan ‘n hupstoot gee en my familie trots maak”, sê Mbali Dhlamini.
“Ons studente het nog sulke geleenthede nodig.Vir ons studente om te kan werk vir ‘n maatskappy soos Capsicum regverdig wat ons doen en die vaardighede wat ons bied. Dit demonstreer aan die gemeenskap dat ons dienste tot hulle voordeel is. Verder gee die soort geleentheid vir ons studente ‘n doel om na te strewe”, sê Kuphela.
Toe hulle gevra is wat hulle beplan om te doen wanneer die Capsicum program voltooi is, het hulle die volgende te sê gehad:
“Ek wil spyseniering doen vir kantiens en by geleenthede” – Thandiwe.
“Ek besit ‘n geregistreerde spysenierigsbesigheid, maar het kapitaal nodig om van die grond te kom. Dis waarheen ek mik.” – Katlego.
“Ek wil werk kry wat my sal help om te groei en my vaardighede te verfyn” – Mbali.
“Ons is baie trots op dié jong vroue en wens hulle die allerbeste toe met die volgende stap op die leertjie na die spysenieringsbedryf. Ek is seker die drome en visie wat hulle van hulle loopbane het, sal vrug dra”, sluit Kuphela af.
Indien u wil belê in die toekoms van jongmense in Soweto, praat gerus met een van ons Maatskaplike Fondsontwikkelaars by Abraham Kriel Bambanani. Tel. no 011 839-3058 of e-pos ons by info@abrahamkriel.org