Step towards empowerment
Footpath trust and their international sponsors have invested their time to train the Zandspruit unemployed women to be cobblers.
The Zandspruit Women Empowerment Exhibition, showcasing shoes made by women in the informal settlement, took place on 17 October.
The exhibition is an initiative of the Footpath Trust, a non-profit organisation dedicated to charity work. This formed part of their skills development programme which is sponsored by international investors and individuals.
The trust’s founder Annemarie Grobler stated that the programme has been running since 2009.
“We recruit women from the informal settlement who attend the free two- month skills development programme where they learn how to make shoes. The women are given a kit which will help them start their own business,” explained Grobler.
“Over the past five years the programme has trained 94 women to be certified cobblers. Some of the woman earn an income of as much as R300 per day through their businesses.
Eight to 10 women are trained at a time as small groups allow the team to focus on each individual so they receive the best training. Women who train with us do not have to be academic. We make it easy for them to gain the skills required to start a business.”
Grobler hopes that with the help of their international sponsors the trust can expand this programme
all over Gauteng. “I encourage women in the Zandspruit informal settlement to be a part of this programme. The exhibition went really well and the woman were proud to show off their work.”
Details: Footpath Trust 082-552-6121.
