MGANDUZWENI – In a bid to join government in the scourge against unemployment and skills shortages, one of the country’s oldest schools of theology, Phumelela Bible College launched a number of skills-development programmes to empower the youth free of charge.
According to the management of this institution, it offers the courses as a way of paying back to the community it operates in.
The courses aim to empower unemployed and needy youth from Mnganduzweni and surrounding areas with theory and practicals in computer courses, sewing and beading, carpentry, and catering.
“Besides being a Bible college, we also care for the community we operate in. We also aim to reach out to the community in a number of projects still to come,” explained Mr Sibusiso Ngomane, the college’s project coordinator.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms Nonhlanhla Mbuyane said she appreciated the college’s effort in providing much-needed skills for the youth as this would help them to start their own small businesses, refrain from drug and alcohol abuse and other illegal or quick ways of making money.
“I was job hunting for quite a long time without any skills or previous job experience. Life was just hard for me and my siblings. The moment I heard about this offer I came running.
“I am doing a three-year diploma in sewing and beading, I’m blessed and happy. The future now seems bright on my side because of this college,” alluded Mbuyane.
“We can now create job opportunities for ourselves,” added Ms Goodness Sambo. The college’s rector and principal, Past Sthe Nkosi added that the college also prided itself in being an interdenominational institution which trained would-be pastors and church leaders from different parts of Africa including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Burundi, Uganda, Swaziland and different parts of the country.
“As much as we are Christians, we shouldn’t adopt the Western culture at the expense of our culture.
“We are demystifying the myth that culture is associated with ancestral worship, but it is more about who we are as Africans and where we come from,” said Nkosi.
