The Where Rainbows Meet Training and Development Foundation in Vrygrond is offering unemployed women in the community various life-skills and leadership programmes.
Mymoena Scholtz, founder of the Foundation, said when women uplift each other anything is possible.
“The women who join our programmes come from different social backgrounds. They do social upliftment programmes in order for them to understand and realise their value and potential.
“Most of the women are unemployed, they have no form of income and we are teaching them skills, like the beading and sewing skills, for them to see that they can also run their own business at home.”
She added the programmes available to women include a leadership programme, community development, mental health as well as performing arts.
“The performing arts programme is where women can just release their stress and let go and have fun to just be a woman. Focusing on themselves and how they can heal through different methodologies and its simple performing arts that can bring the beauty out.”
The women who participate in the programmes come from all walks of life and range from the age of 20 to 73 years.
“It’s an open programme, as long as they are unemployed, they can remain with the volunteer programme and if opportunities come, we try and place our women and we also put them through computer training.
“So, we prepare them for an office administration job, but also if there is a cleaner position available that they want to do we also refer them to those opportunities.
“We want to encourage the sector out there, if there are any job opportunities for women, to make contact with us.
“We can help the women in order for them to sustain themselves.
“We also try to nurture and mentor them as much as possible to build a stronger person because there are many challenges women face.
“The women will now display what they’ve done on Women’s Day (Tuesday 9 August) to encourage other women to come out and empower themselves.”
Scholtz added that often women come from violent areas and they face many challenges.
“Women feel really lost, alone and that they have no-one to turn to. If one woman rises, it brings such joy to my heart and I like to see women really uplifting each other.
“For us as an organisation, the programme is open to anyone, it does not matter which area you are from.
“There are no restrictions here, no limitations. Anyone who needs social upliftment is welcome here. Anyone who wants to be developed is welcome to join our programme.”
Lydia Mdzanga (73) – a community worker from Lavender Hill who hosts a soup kitchen in the area – also volunteers at the Foundation.
“I was a home-based carer for many years up until I was 60-years-old. When I received my pension, my husband and I started the soup kitchen.
“We used our pension to give the community food and soup. People still come and knock on my door and ask for something. I can say thanks to Mymoena at Where Rainbows Meet where she supported me.
“There is always someone in need and then we try to help.”
Women are welcome to sign up for the life-skills programmes available at the Foundation in Vrygrond from Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:00.
