For almost seven years, the Rainbow Skills Centre in Humansdorp has been positively contributing to the community, while decreasing unemployment, by equipping young people living with disabilities with practical and social skills to succeed in life.
As previously reported by Kouga Express, Victory4All was established almost 20 years ago by Johan and Astrid Vos, in a bid to break the cycle of poverty by providing Christian-based quality education in Kouga.
The Rainbow Skills Centre is one of the many programmes which form part of Victory4All.
According to the centre’s programme leader, Beauty Lusu, the skills centre currently provides about 28 young people with disabilities or other challenges a safe space, to grow and develop.
“Some of the skills that the young people learn include working in the vegetable garden, woodwork, needlework, catering and hospitality,” said Lusu.
She further said that they also allow them to work in their stroopwafel factory, called Soete Swaan, as an independent enterprise where the famous Dutch syrup waffles are made.
The produce that is made at the factory is then sold throughout South Africa in coffee shops, padstalle and grocery stores.
Lusu said that while they teach them different skills, they also focus on developing social skills, teaching them how to be smart with money, how to apply for a job and how to earn a living.
Since she enjoys working with young people, she said she has always remained passionate about helping the learners at the centre obtain experience, certifications, life skills and getting jobs.
To give recognition where it is well-deserved, Lusu said that last year she piloted a graduation programme where she handed over certifications of recognition to those who completed a specific programme.
“Many of these learners are low functioning level learners, so receiving recognition for the hard work they do is a great initiative,” said Lusu.
She said that the learners enjoyed their time at the centre and were always eager to learn and participate.
“The learners are always on time and with help from the facilitators who encourage them, they do well at the skills centre,” said Lusu.
She said that when the skills centre was first established in 2016, the learners who turned 18 years old from the Rainbow School with special needs were referred to the skills centre, to start with practical work.
However, to further extend their skills training programme to more people, this year they opened their doors to young people from the community who were living with disabilities.
Lusu said that since including community members, the number of learners at the skills centre has increased from 15 last year to 28 this year.
“The increase in number of learners shows that there is a great need for the skills centre, and we are hoping more young people will join our various programmes,” said Lusu.
She said that many learners with disabilities have low self-esteem, because they have not been able to complete school, are unable to find work and in some cases have been rejected by the community.
Thankfully, through the programmes offered at the skills centre, they have seen a great improvement in the confidence of their learners as they are given a place to learn and earn some money.
“Once the learners gain confidence we can see changes in their attitude, behaviour and their way of thinking,” said Lusu.
Through the programme she hopes that the young people will receive the necessary training to become economically and socially reliant.
Lusu said that she is also hoping that the community and local businesses would consider getting involved with the skills centre by ordering some of their woodwork projects, buying fresh vegetables from their garden or ordering food from their kitchen.
“The goal is to give these young people tools so that they can find a job, earn a salary, provide for themselves, become independent and become a part of society, despite their disabilities or challenges,” said Lusu.
