Kitso Lesedi Youth Development based in Primrose provides young South Africans with leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

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The centre understands that poverty relates to more than just an income and that it also involves deprivation of resources, opportunities and choices.

The purpose of the programmes at the centre is to capacitate the poor and the most vulnerable with both hard and soft skills, moving them from a state of being poor to self-reliant.

Since its forming in 2008, the organisation has had one focus – equipping the youth.

“Our programmes are designed to stimulate the youth with management, business, ICT and artisan skills. We are registered as an NPO,” said facilitator Itumeleng Kganyago.

“Our capacity building programmes have been successful in that over 700 of young people received life skills, business, ICT and artisan training. Young people are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities,” said Kganyago.

Kitso Lesedi Youth Development’s objectives are:
• To mentor communities through social and skills-based programmes.
• To provide easy access to information through guidance, mentoring and technology.
• To grow the youth into responsible members of the community.
Services offered:
• Advice and referrals: empowers the youth by providing information on opportunities that are available in the government and private sectors for employment.
• Social programmes: informs the community and provides relevant information, training and social services.
• Business and computer studies: empowers and equips young people with business and IT skills to assist them with running their own organisations or businesses effectively.
• Artisan skills provides the youth with technical skills in welding (not funded for this year), carpentry, plumbing, electrical, certified Cisco network administration, auto diagnostics and key coding and more.