- KwaNothemba Protective Workshop for the Disabled in Khayelitsha hosted an awareness campaig to educate the community about its services and promote inclusion.
- The centre provides skills training in woodwork, sewing and art to 75 students, empowering them to become entrepreneurs and break stigma.
- Manager Nolwandle Qhaba appealed for community support, funding and an end to discrimination, highlighting the centre’s struggles, including lack of electricity since 2021.
Staff and students of KwaNothemba Protective Workshop for the Disabled, at E-section in Khayelitsha, celebrated Heritage Month by hosting an awareness campaign on Thursday 19 September.
The training centre used the occasion to educate people about its services and to raise awareness of disabled people. The audience was entertained by music group Abantakwethu Brothers from Makhaza.
The centre’s manager Nolwandle Qhaba said the event was special, showcasing as it did the skills its clients are learning.
She described the centre as a hub for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
“We have 75 students at the centre who are acquiring various skills including woodwork, sewing and art. Most of the students are disabled and so-called slow learners.” Qhaba said clients’ ages ranged from 16 to 40 years of age.
She said the learners are referred to the school by clinics, schools or come with the doctor’s certificate.
Qhaba said they want the communities to recognise them instead of feeling pity about them.
She appealed to the community members to stop discriminating and calling them names.
“The discrimination starts from home. Where the family doesn’t treat us well and only takes care of us during the disabled grant days. We need to be respected and be part of the leadership of community stakeholders.”
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Qhaba appealed to the local organisations to support the centre as they are surviving with funds. She said they are only funded by the Provincial Department of Social Development. “As we speak we haven’t had electricity since the arrival of the Pandemic informal settlement in 2021 which is near our centre. They illegally connected the electricity to our danger box and Eskom had switched our electricity off.”
Student Anam Dani (21), who started at the centre three years ago, described the centre as a safe space. He said he and others there get all the attention they deserve.
“In my first year I was doing woodwork, and in my second year I was sewing.” This year I’m doing arts and crafts. We are happy here because we are empowered and motivated all the time.”
Qhaba pointed out that there was school transport for the learners. She added that every learner contributes at least R200.
