“This is the place of hope.”
July 9, 2025 – In the heart of Cape Town’s Cape Flats, an area where daily challenges often eclipse opportunity and social instability can hold back sustainable socio-economic development, WPDI is making efforts to drive a new wave of change. Our focus? Women who have been unemployed, self-employed, or overlooked. Women who share a common dream: to build something of their own, break generational cycles, and reclaim their futures.
Once again, this dream found fuel through Business and Entrepreneurship training in the framework of our Women’s Livelihood Program. Across neighborhoods like Athlone, Mitchells Plain, Bishop Lavis, Kensington, Gugulethu, and Bellville, 132 women came together not just to learn, but to lead and to lift one another.
Within the halls of the WPDI Community Learning Center, the program offered more than theory. It delivered real-world business knowledge: from developing business plans to pricing strategies, customer outreach, budgeting, and marketing. But perhaps most importantly, it provided space for women to rediscover belief in themselves. As one participant, Sheila from Gugulethu, shared: “I found WPDI at a time in my life when I was being attacked by depression and anxiety after losing my job in 2024. With no hope or faith, I decided to register for a class. I found hope in life again and felt inspired to start my own business. This is the place of hope. Thank you, WPDI.”
Throughout the program, women engaged in interactive group exercises that fostered teamwork and creative problem-solving. For those who committed to starting their own businesses, the program offered an additional Business Bootcamp, diving deeper into startup planning and practical entrepreneurship, planting seeds of knowledge aimed at successfully launching their small businesses at a later date.
The shift in mindset was manifest. Participants began to see themselves as capable, trustworthy, and connected. As Shaneeka from Kensington put it, “The training was truly empowering. It provided practical tools and helped grow our mindset into thinking like entrepreneurs. I especially valued the guidance on developing a strong business plan and working with budgets, financial projections, and marketing strategies… These are areas where small businesses often struggle. The highlight for me was the interactive sessions, group exercises, and the networking opportunities. The course ignited a new sense of confidence and readiness to turn my business idea into a profitable reality.”
But the transformation extended beyond acquiring business skills. The program created a community, or a network of women who can support each other, share resources, and keep one another accountable. That sense of belonging was a key part of the journey for Raeesah from Kuilsriver, who said, “From the basic to the intermediate level, the experience has been empowering. The knowledge, support, and practical tools shared throughout the training helped shape my confidence as an entrepreneur. It wasn’t just about learning—it was about growing, connecting, and stepping into a better version of myself. This experience made a lasting impact, and I carry it forward with deep appreciation.”
In communities where opportunity is rare, such programs can act as catalysts for long term transformation. This program offered not just tools, but trust. It showed what can happen when women are given a chance not only to learn, but to lead. The impact of that leadership has already started to spread across entire communities – and we can only wait to witness its long-term impact.
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