Young women complete empowerment programme
DIEPSLOOT – Established to transform, enable, promote and improve the economic output of women in South Africa, the Bear Foundation held its third annual graduation ceremony.
The foundation is a non-profit organisation aimed at mentoring girls in Africa.
Founded in 2012, the organisation has grown from mentoring 70 young girls, to hundreds of girls in Gauteng, and continues to enhance their welfare through various programmes such as grooming for growth, social and financial education, teen book clubs and youth leadership.
The foundation also runs a Youth Leadership Course in public speaking and debating, which is coached by Toastmasters’ delegates who teach pupils skills in articulation.
Founder Nomzamo Gcwensa said, “More than anything, I started the foundation to empower ladies, and to help them realise their inner beauty by affirming their feminine state of being.”
Gcwensa explained that the pupils on the programme underwent a 10-week course covering various modules revolving around self-development and personal skills. “We are assisted by teachers and principals to select individuals who are hungry for self-development and learning new skills,” she said.
Speaking at the ceremony, Millie Viljoen, deputy director for transformation at the Gauteng Department of Education said, “With the current climate of women being marginalised and young girls having no direction, the programme is phenomenal.”
Viljoen congratulated the graduates, who each received a certificate of completion for the programme, and wished them all success.
Details: www.thebearfoundation.org
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