The City of Cape Town’s Women for Change programme has empowered 784 women to make a positive impact in their communities.
In 2016, the City’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development department launched the Women for Change Programme, previously known as the Women in Rental Stock Project.
‘The empowerment programme was created to capacitate women to play a more active and meaningful role in their communities, while acquiring new skills and developing on a personal level.
‘The majority of the women who participate in the programme are tenants in the City’s rental stock and they are trained and deployed throughout the city to help uplift areas where City-owned rental stock is situated. Other participants are from informal settlements and as well as backyard dwellers. This is being done through addressing the environmental and socio-economic challenges in these areas. We are excited to have given these 784 women an opportunity to make a difference in their communities,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.
The women were drawn from across the city and were placed in schools, clinics, libraries, early childhood development centres as well as NGOs and were provided with a number of training opportunities, including substance abuse, gender based violence, entrepreneurship, conflict resolution, and First Aid.
‘Many of the participants continue to make positive contributions to their communities after they’ve completed the programme. Some of our success stories this year include one participant who was employed permanently at the Bloekombos Clinic, one has received sponsorship to further her studies and four fieldworkers have been permanently employed.
‘A further 17 women are currently part of an OASIS gardening project, which provides fresh vegetable crops to the organisation and neighbouring communities. Through this project, the women have built social ties that contribute to a greater sense of community. The positive ripples of the Women for Change Programme are felt by families and communities long after the women have completed their stint,’ said Councillor van der Ross.