WITH the start of the new year, the Siyakhuluma Project and the Grace Family Church in uMhlanga have joined forces in an effort to further eliminate language barriers.

Two years ago, Durban North resident, Christo Spetsiotis, launched his non-profit organisation, the Siyakhuluma Project, with the hopes of providing the Durban community with affordable, accessible and practical isiZulu lessons.

Now, however, in support of the church’s skills development courses, Spetsiotis and his team have designed a language bridging course to help beneficiaries better understand its content.

“Our development courses were designed to help give people from disadvantaged communities skills so that they could go out and find a suitable jobs. However, we have found that language has been a massive barrier,” said Kelly Matthews, the missions and justice coordinator at the Grace Family Church.

“Not only was it difficult for the beneficiaries, some who speak and understand little – if any – English, to grasp terms such as ‘sale’, ‘marketing’, ‘profit’ or ‘savings’, but they are also now expected to find a job in an primarily English market. Through this bridging course we hope that they will be better equipped,” added Matthews.

Spetsiotis said he was thrilled to support a cause with such a massive need.

“The English bridging course will contain content linked to the development courses, so once the English terminology, has been mastered it can simply be plugged into the main course,” he said.

Related articles:

uMhlanga couple learn isiZulu to bridge the cultural gap

Keeping up with the Khuluma Project