Empowering Communities: Cape Town’s Women and Men for Change Initiative

The City of Cape Town has taken an innovative approach to empower its residents through the Women and Men for Change capacity-building programme. This initiative is led by the city’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department and has impacted over 900 individuals within the past year.

Women for Change Initiative

The Women for Change initiative, celebrating its ninth anniversary, fosters employment opportunities through the City’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). Its primary goal is to empower women by providing training opportunities to improve their abilities, promote their active participation in communities, and foster their personal growth and skillset.

Participants in this initiative gain access to a wide range of training opportunities, including substance abuse, gender-based violence, entrepreneurship, conflict resolution, and First Aid. They are also deployed across the city, working in diverse sectors such as schools, clinics, libraries, early childhood development centers, and non-governmental organizations.

Men for Change Programme

The Men for Change programme seeks to reinforce the significance of fatherhood and male role models in the community. By promoting positive role models and healthy family dynamics, the programme aims to foster a safe and nurturing environment for children in the community.

Results and Impact

In the previous financial year, the two programmes collectively provided more than 900 opportunities, with 653 through the Women for Change programme and 259 through the Men for Change programme. Many participants continue to volunteer even after their EPWP contracts have terminated, while others have been employed by the organizations where they were placed.

Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross, highlighted the transformative impact of these programmes. Their impact may not be immediately evident, but by empowering individuals, they ultimately contribute to strengthening communities and addressing issues such as unemployment, substance abuse, violence, and gangsterism.

Ambassadors for the City

Programme participants also serve as ambassadors for the city, assisting those in need and facilitating access to various social services. Councillor van der Ross expressed her admiration for the engagement of numerous participants and expressed her aspirations for reaching an even wider audience in the coming year.

The Women and Men for Change initiative in Cape Town serves as an inspiring example of the power of capacity-building programmes to uplift communities. As more individuals continue to benefit from this initiative, the city aims to foster a more inclusive and prosperous environment for all its residents.