More than just a job thanks to Work 4 a Living programme

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

These are the values shared by Groutville resident, Mpume Makiwane who has for the past year dedicated herself to helping people on the North Coast find jobs through the Work 4 a Living programme run from Linc Church in Foxhill.

Started by Ena Richards more than 10 years ago, Work 4 a Living aims to equip people with the skills and knowledge to not only find a job but to keep one too.

Makiwane who previously worked as an assistant teacher and is a qualified food technologist said her passion has always been to help people.

“I knew that I wanted to do something that would impact my community. When I relocated from Johannesburg, we joined Linc Church and heard about Work 4 a Living. I sat in one of the classes and realised that this training was actually something that people needed. I then went to Port Elizabeth and trained to become a facilitator.

“So far it has been quite an experience and the journey has made me realise we have good people in this country with real potential.”

The 12-day course which costs only R100 entails a job readiness programme that teaches people how to conduct themselves in an interview, how to look for work, what their role is in a company and how to advance their career. For an additional R400, students can opt for classes which focus on detailed skills development.

The 51-year-old mother of two said the key to helping people achieve success was helping them realise their strengths.

“People do not know who they are and if you do not know where your strengths are, you will never know which direction to head in.

“When you do not have skills, you have to know what makes you tick and what you have to offer. In South African we are only focusing on skills and not the gold that is found within people. There are a lot of resources that can be used to try and create income but the consistency in maintaining that depends on who you are.”

Makinwane said the biggest challenge she faced was hearing shocking stories of abuse that were holding people back.

“When students come here, they often suffer with low self-esteem and have to be built up. I cannot come to these classes with my jar half filled because I need to have the courage to dish out my own strength to people.”

With a 35 percent employment success rate Mpume hopes to encourage more businesses to open their doors to the students who have completed the course.

Owner of Scoop Ice Cream at the Ballito Lifestyle Centre, Amanda Maidman said she had employed 11 of her staff from the Work 4 a Living programme.

“They are absolutely brilliant so I now have a very strict recruitment policy that sees that I only employ from them.”

For more information contact Mpume Makiwane at 079 794 0501.

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