A group of women who had been batted by life’s challenges of substance abuse, mental illness and domestic violence were given a hand up.
They completed a six week information skills workshop held three days a week at Strandfontein library.
Ten women were selected from the participating library to join the course during August, which marks Women’s Month.
On International Literacy Day, Thursday September 8, they received certificates, were treated to brunch and shared their experiences.
The women, from Home of Hope Foundation, a local rehabilitation centre, learned skills to develop their personal and professional lives and improve their access to opportunities.
Nuraan Petersen, 36, from Strandfontein, mom to a 10-year-old girl, said she was interested in possible job opportunities. She wants to be a beauty therapist but for now would be grateful for any work.
Fareeda Kayser, 40, from Eastridge, said that learning to access government services had been most helpful.
The programme was an initiative of the City of Cape Town as part of a global access to information campaign “Inform Women, Transform Lives” which aims to enhance awareness of women’s rights to information.
The City was invited by The Carter Center, founded by former US president, Jimmy Carter in 1982, to participate in this project, which increases the number of women accessing information about municipal and social services, and to support local governments in reaching women with meaningful information to help them thrive in their communities.
Strandfontein librarian Vanessa Bailey said: “The women were empowered with various skills, such as information skills, communication skills, basic digital literacy skills as well as library, information and municipal orientation sessions.”
They are hoping to run a similar workshop in May next year.
Now that they have completed the programme, they will become information activists, who enable others within their communities to be information-empowered.
These learning circles will provide a platform for sharing experiences and for enabling access to municipal information and programmes that are targeted to women’s development while leveraging technology for progress and economic inclusion.