Two days into this year’s 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign, 100 young women who come from vulnerable households across South Africa’s nine provinces received the much-needed skills that will enable them to find decent job opportunities and to lead financially independent lives.

The event took place over 3 days at Velmore hotel in Centurion close to Pretoria, Gauteng Province.

The objective of the training programme is to equip young women, some of whom are social grants beneficiaries while some are teenage mothers, with the necessary skills to come out of poverty and leave violent relationships without depending on boyfriends and sugar daddies - popularly called ‘blessers’.

Research and anecdotal evidence show that abused women sometimes stay in abusive and toxic relationships, not out of choice, but because they are financially dependent on their abusers and leaving their abusive partners may plunge them and their children into poverty.

The recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa shows that young people, and young black women in particular, are the hardest hit by unemployment crisis. In a job market where young people with a higher education struggle to secure work opportunities, a young black teenage mother looking for a job without any formal education, find it more difficult.

The young women, aged between 18-23 years attended a 3-day training programme entitled: "Empowering 100 Women Future Leaders in Hospitality Excellence". The training programme forms part of the celebration of the 25 years of diplomatic relations between the Republic of South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Kagiso Tlhoaele, who spoke on behalf of all other young women said that the skills’ programme has given them a good chance to secure decent work opportunities in the growing tourism sector.

“We are grateful to get this unique opportunity to be part of this group that was selected to attend this hospitality skills programme. This will help more young vulnerable girls and women from poor households to be self-sufficient and not to depend on abusive boyfriends and partners,” said Kagiso.

During the tabling of the Budget Vote this year, the Department prioritised linking social grants beneficiaries to jobs and economic opportunities as part of its Sustainable Livelihood Approach. The skills training programme is one of the many initiatives that the Department will pursue in linking social grants beneficiaries