Written by
Brandon Finn
The Shawco centre in Khayelitsha is the home to an
incredibly exciting new social entrepreneurship project run by UCT students.
Every Friday approximately 30 residents from the township go to the centre to
learn basic business and management skills. These people then gain access to
second-hand clothing which they sell to make profit. This is all made possible
by an initiative called Siyaya.
This project actively seeks out unemployed people in the
community, and aims to equip them with the skills and resources necessary before
starting up their businesses for them. Siyaya is so unique because it enables underprivileged
members of the public to continue these businesses long after they have been
trained.
Last week Friday I spoke to Magdalene Ishmael, an unemployed
mother with a large family to support. She spoke about how Siyaya helps her because
“it shows real-life methods to solve financial problems.” She also said that
the project “helps me move forward towards a better life.”
This initiative strives to enable and empower members of
Khayelitsha. It is so valuable because of its practical approach and tangible
results. It is one of the very few initiatives in South Africa that applies
practical methods in systematically and sustainably eradicating poverty. Siyaya
provides a platform which assists people in moving beyond poverty, beyond unemployment
and ultimately, towards a sustainable source of income.
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