Training in sewing, poultry farming skills for the youth of R’fontein

Determined to eradicate poverty in society, the Ndimase Development Centre provides skills training in sewing and poultry farming to the youth of Randfontein.

The centre was founded by Zanele Dumakude, Kutlwano Ranre, Nelisiwe Mabenzela, Nonduduzo Mthalane and Phumlani Mthalane four years ago.

“We saw the necessity to establish this centre with the aim of developing the community to help lower the high unemployment rate in our society.

Our mandate is to equip young people who come from disadvantaged communities with skills that would enable them to enter the job market and open their own cooperatives,” said Nonduduzo, the co-founder and treasurer of the Ndimase Development Centre.

In 2019, they joined the Gauteng Department of Social Development during a service delivery blitz in Finsbury where they enrolled 31 young people for a year to teach them sewing skills and pay them stipends.

After completing the training, they were awarded Seta-accredited certificates in sewing.

Nonduduzo added, “In our sewing factory we manufacture personal protective equipment for the Department of Health and for schools, and we supply them with surgical gowns and masks. We also manufacture curtains and bedding. At the poultry side, we supply local businesses with the eggs our chickens produce.

“Furthermore, we would like to expand into other business ventures at our centre to ensure the youth and broader community gain access to economic opportunities. The aim is to make sure that the community is self-sustainable.

We also intend to build a computer centre within our premises to provide computer skills and desktop research, and enable our students to draft curricula vitae. We are happy to collaborate with Social Development as champions of sustainable livelihoods,” Nonduduzo concluded.

Should anyone wish to do business with the Ndimase Development Centre, they can call Zanele Dumakude on 073 752 0963.