Equipping youth with crucial business skills at fun boot camp
Durban — In partnership with Switzerland-based Zurich Social Equity Programme, the Merewest Community Foundation held a youth boot camp last week to give young people skills.
The boot camp, held in Merebank, south of Durban, has already yielded positive results, with one participant getting a job offer.
Kudzwaishe Mugigo, 19, was offered a job on completion of the camp programme. She was picked by the company that works with Swiss-based Zurich Social Equity Programme.
The four-day youth boot camp was aimed at addressing skills and job opportunities.
The MCF and Social Equity Programme held the camp at Ganges High School.
Speaking to the Daily News on Tuesday, an excited Mugigo said the programme helped her a lot as she received an opportunity to go to Johannesburg to teach business courses.
“I learnt about entrepreneurship, leadership skills and how to work with other people.”
Mugigo said it was an interesting experience to work and to learn to understand how young people of a similar age think and engage.
She said she initially wanted to do medicine, before following her passion for teaching – in particular, the young. She said she loved to teach youngsters and combined both passions.
Chairperson of Merewest Community Foundation (MCF), Premilla Deonath said it was four “overwhelmingly successful days”.
“Our MCF Youth League initiated it. They were going to have a one-day event but realised that the youth will certainly enjoy a day of fun, celebrations, entertainment etc, but once it’s over, they’ll return to their normal lives, not much richer nor empowered,” she said.
Deonath said the four-day camp was attended by over 100 youth from Merebank, Lamontville, uMlazi, Wentworth and the Bluff.
She said courses offered at the camp include how to work in a team, business ethics, project management, entrepreneurship skills, holistic development skills, emotional intelligence, financial health, CV writing, interview skills, goal setting, communication skills, and success skills.
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