The Pinotage Youth Development Academy (PYDA) is a work-readiness programme for students looking to make a positive change in their lives. It focusses on both the wine and fruit sectors and gives students the opportunity to attain industry-endorsed qualifications with a strong emphasis on developing the personal skills needed to succeed.
While lockdown put paid to several NGOs work in disadvantaged communities, the PYDA was determined to stay afloat. “Not for one second did we contemplate closing down for lockdown,” says Executive Director Nikki Munro who applauds both the staff and sponsors who creatively and enthusiastically ensured that this valuable programme kept going.
“Our students don’t possess computers and neither do they have access to Wi-Fi, in fact some of them do not even have electricity at home,” Munro continues. The solution initially was to move everything to WhatsApp with the facilitators forming groups and checking in with every student daily.
“We all thought this would be a temporary break, but by July we realised we had to make a more sustainable solution. Our funders were amazing and provided every student with a laptop, router and data. Stellenbosch University also converted their wine tasting course to an on-line version.
Kwanele Nhlobo grew up in the Eastern Cape where he matriculated in 2014. He was unable to find a place to study, or get a job, so his brother suggested he join him in Grabouw in the Cape Winelands. It was there that he heard about the PYDA programme and duly applied. “The selection process was very tough,” he says, “so I was over-joyed when I got accepted.”
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