Programme helps marginalised women

GRANDWEST and Sun International, along with non-profit organisation The Social Makeover have created an empowerment programme to help women from marginalised communities find employment and support themselves and their families.

Last year GrandWest funded R174000 to start the Girls360 Project in partnership with The Social Makeover organisation.

This year, in honour of Woman’s Month, GrandWest hosted a Women360 Mentoring workshop and programme.

Through the programme, 20 women from marginalised communities who have a deep desire and mindset to effect positive change within their personal life were identified.

They will each be matched with a GrandWest employee who will mentor them for the remainder of the programme.

The project aims to stimulate individual employability and personal development by exposing women to a holistic, multi-prolonged developmental programme.

It also aims to help participants find jobs or initiate entrepreneurial initiatives.

GrandWest sustainability manager Genevieve Smith said: “The women are exploring the ‘inner journey’ a woman must take to align her life, access her full leadership potential and build resilience to face adversity.

“This also involves ways to make positive choices, ensure her wellbeing

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80% of our participants will receive post academy opportunities Genevieve Smith GrandWest sustainability manager

and become a leader within her life, her family, community and society at large.”

The project aimed to provide socio-economic support, skills development and opportunities to women between 25 and 45 years old, living in densely populated, lowincome communities.

“These women are the most affected by factors such as domestic violence, high crime rates, youth unemployment and early child pregnancy due to economic disempowerment, poverty and a lack of quality education.

“This also places them at a higher risk of getting HIV,” Smith said.

By the end of the programme, the 20 young women will be trained in personal mastery, business development and job-readiness.

“This means participants will be accredited with a post school qualification,” she added.

“At least 80% of our participants will receive post academy opportunities in the form of jobs, tertiary education or running their own entrepreneurial activity.

“The 20 participants will need to empower five women each, meaning 100 women will benefit from this programme.

“All participants will be provided access to experts, companies and opportunities in their field of interest,” Smith said.

“This project is so important as we believe women are the backbone of our communities.

“By supporting women and giving them access to equal opportunities such as education, jobs and health care, everyone will benefit.

“Infant mortality rates will go down, more children will stay in school, incomes will increase and the cycle of poverty can be broken,” Smith said.