South Africa has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. In the first quarter of 2016, the youth unemployment rate was 54.5%, according to SA Statistics. Young women (15–34 years) are in a particularly precarious situation, with unemployment rates more than 10% higher than those of young men.
This project has provide 200 young people from low income communities across Cape Town, of whom 75% are young women, with educational and work experience that will increase their opportunities for employment.
The young participants, 17-20 years of age, were supported in transforming their own futures by focusing on individual action plans, based on their own dreams and goals. In addition to this, the participants got a scholarship throughout the program, which offerde them the possibility to focus one hundred percent on the program itself, not having to worry about their day-to-day survival.
The project also offered practical training for the participants in order to make them ready for the labour market, where we’ve found great opportunities of working together with H&M stores in South Africa to offer the participants internships. Today this project is run by H&M in South Africa.
