Skills training Musina
The Musina team implemented a wide range of vocational and skills development courses throughout 2025, designed to strengthen employability, entrepreneurship, and psychosocial resilience among vulnerable youth, migrants, and local citizens. During the first half of the year (Jan–Jun 2025), training included three computer literacy classes with 52 participants, a plumbing course with 14 participants, and beauty-related courses, including hair and wig installation, makeup, and nail technician training. A domestic electrical course was also offered. These courses were complemented by self-awareness sessions and support groups, which helped participants build confidence, emotional resilience, and peer-to-peer encouragement. Employment outcomes were notable: several beautician graduates secured jobs at local salons, while computer literacy graduates found work in retail stores, marking their first formal employment. In the second half of the year (Jul–Dec 2025), skills development expanded further, enrolling 76 participants across multiple streams. These included sewing (10 female participants), computer literacy (14 participants: 5 female, 9 male), beautician recruitment (18 female participants), solar geyser installation and plumbing (17 participants: 10 female, 7 male), and food preservation (20 participants: 14 female, 6 male).
By the end of 2025, the Musina project had trained well over 120 participants across both reporting periods, with strong participation by youth and women. The combination of technical training, psychosocial support, and entrepreneurship development created a holistic model that not only improved employability but also fostered resilience, community ownership, and sustainable livelihoods.
Skills training Pretoria
The Pretoria CDWs implemented a wide range of skills development programmes throughout 2025, designed to empower refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, and vulnerable local citizens with practical skills, business knowledge, and psychosocial resilience.
In the first half of 2025 (Jan–Jun), a total of 56 participants successfully completed vocational training. Courses included domestic electrical work (15 participants), plumbing (13 participants), digital literacy (5 participants), sewing (8 participants), and beautician training (15 participants). These were complemented by five support groups that provided emotional and peer support, helping participants build resilience, self-reliance, and confidence in pursuing economic opportunities. Although English classes were postponed to the second half of the year, the foundation was laid for broader support for integration.
In the second half of 2025 (Jul–Dec), skills training expanded to reach 63 beneficiaries across diverse streams. These included Artisanal/Welding (14 participants: 1 female, 13 male), Beautician (22 participants: 20 female, 2 male), Sewing (6 participants: 5 female, 1 male), End-User Computing (9 participants: 7 female, 2 male), and Urban Farming (7 participants: 4 female, 3 male). Additionally, 55 participants attended business classes held after each vocational course to strengthen entrepreneurship and economic participation. English classes also commenced, enrolling 55 learners (30 female, 25 male), with pre- and post-assessments confirming improved reading, writing, and communication skills. By the end of 2025, the Pretoria project had trained over 119 participants across both reporting periods, with strong female participation and growing entrepreneurial activity. The integration of vocational training, business classes, and psychosocial support created a holistic model that not only improved employability but also fostered resilience and community inclusion.
Skills training in Hillbrow
In the first half of 2025 (Jan–Jun), the Hillbrow office implemented a robust set of vocational training programmes to tackle youth unemployment and empower vulnerable communities. Courses included Cake Baking (11 participants), Beautician Training (31 participants), Hair and Wig Making (42 participants), Make-up and Nails (53 participants), and Computer Literacy (56 participants). Collectively, these programmes reached over 190 participants, equipping them with practical, marketable skills. The training was complemented by psychosocial support and academic assistance, with 220 learners receiving homework support and life skills development, and 143 peer educators trained to cascade knowledge among their peers. These interventions not only built technical competencies but also strengthened confidence, resilience, and employability. In the second half of 2025 (Jul–Dec), skills development continued alongside psychosocial and community outreach services. School-based support groups were introduced to reinforce learners’ mental health and emotional resilience, while community expansion into Freedom Park and Springbok extended vocational and psychosocial services to new areas. Although specific vocational course numbers were not detailed in the July–December report, the emphasis was on integrating skills-building initiatives with psychosocial support and legal documentation assistance. The addition of FirstRand interns enhanced delivery capacity, allowing for broader reach and improved service quality.
By the end of 2025, the Hillbrow project had trained nearly 200 participants across multiple vocational streams, while embedding psychosocial support and community engagement into its delivery model. The impact was visible in improved employability, strengthened resilience, and expanded community reach. Looking forward, the project’s sustainability will depend on consolidating vocational training with structured business incubation, enhancing safety protocols for outreach in high-risk areas, and deepening partnerships with schools and local institutions to ensure long-term empowerment and inclusion of both migrants and local citizens.
Strengthening communities through integrated support and engagement in Mpumalanga
Throughout 2025, the Outreach Foundation’s Mpumalanga programme advanced its integrated model of psychosocial support, vocational training, entrepreneurship development, and community engagement, achieving substantial outcomes despite contextual challenges. In 2025, the Outreach Foundation’s Community Development Workers (CDWs) in Mpumalanga advanced a holistic programme to strengthen psychosocial wellbeing and build viable livelihoods for rural youth and migrants. The initiative combined psychosocial support, vocational training, entrepreneurship development, and human rights education to address entrenched socio-economic challenges in the Nkomazi and Bushbuck Ridge municipalities.
Key achievements included the establishment of psychosocial support groups for teenage girls taking place at Tinhlonhla High School, individual counselling for migrants and vulnerable youth, and targeted workshops on legal rights and documentation. These interventions improved resilience, emotional regulation, and informed decision-making among participants, particularly young mothers. In 2025, the programme reached 70 teenagers and youth (56 female, 14 male) with structured psychosocial support. A dedicated group of 22 teenage girls aged 15–19 participated in eight sessions at Tinhlonhla Secondary School, focusing on pregnancy support, resilience, and sexual and reproductive health. Pre- and post-assessments showed a 65% improvement in coping mechanisms, highlighting the effectiveness of consistent engagement in safe spaces. Additionally, 48 individual cases were referred for one-on-one counselling to strengthen emotional wellbeing and decision-making capacity. These interventions not only improved resilience but also created a foundation for healthier choices in education, relationships, and personal wellbeing.
The project trained 106 youth (74 female, 32 male) across diverse vocational streams. This included 37 in Beautician skills, 15 in Appliance repair, 15 in Welding, 17 in Tiling, and 22 in Food Preservation. The Food Preservation course was introduced in Bushbuckridge as a responsive measure to community needs. This adaptability ensured that training remained relevant to local economic realities. Participants gained practical, marketable skills, with several already expressing readiness to offer services in their communities, demonstrating early employability outcomes. Early results show participants gaining confidence, employability, and readiness to contribute economically within their communities. Community engagement was strengthened through human rights workshops with stakeholders including Home Affairs, the Department of Health, and IOM, thereby improving legal literacy and referral pathways for undocumented youth and migrants. The project also fostered community ownership, with local leaders and organisations expressing interest in sustaining support structures.
By mid-2025, the project had reached critical milestones in psychosocial support and vocational training, with tangible improvements in resilience, employability, and community cohesion. While male participation remains lower than planned, the programme has successfully empowered young women and migrants, strengthened institutional referral pathways, and initiated small-scale enterprises. These achievements demonstrate the project’s capacity to scale across rural communities, embedding sustainability through a balance of psychosocial wellbeing, rights-based education, and livelihood creation. During the second half of 2025, the Outreach Foundation’s Mpumalanga programme consolidated its integrated model of psychosocial support, vocational training, entrepreneurship development, and community engagement, achieving measurable outcomes across all pillars. A total of 95 participants (74 female, 21 male) completed business skills training, covering planning, marketing, and financial management. To support transition into economic activity, 17 starter packs were distributed, and four micro-business groups were formed in Beautician and Appliance repair streams. Early entrepreneurial activity was observed among welding and tiling trainees, who began taking small jobs. However, lessons learned emphasised that short-term training alone is insufficient; sustained mentoring and incubation-style support are critical to overcoming barriers such as limited capital and low confidence.
The outcomes of 2025 demonstrate that the integrated model is working, with psychosocial support improving resilience and decision-making; vocational training providing market-relevant skills; entrepreneurship initiatives fostering economic participation; and community engagement strengthening social cohesion and referral systems. Challenges remain in balancing gender participation, sustaining business ventures, and ensuring consistent delivery of rights workshops, but the year’s achievements lay a strong foundation for scaling and deepening impact in 2026.
Challenges and Future Perspectives in Mpumalanga.
The Mpumalanga project faced several key challenges during 2025 that shaped both implementation and outcomes. One major challenge was gender imbalance in participation, with female youth showing stronger uptake in psychosocial support and vocational training compared to male youth. This highlighted the need for targeted outreach strategies to ensure equitable access. Another challenge was the postponement of the second human rights workshop, caused by scheduling difficulties and stakeholder coordination issues, which limited progress in strengthening referral pathways and rights awareness. Additionally, the sustainability of entrepreneurship initiatives emerged as a concern, as short-term training and starter packs alone proved insufficient to overcome barriers such as limited capital, low confidence, and lack of incubation-style support. Finally, market saturation in certain vocational streams—such as bricklaying—required adaptive changes to training modules, underscoring the importance of aligning skills development with local economic realities.
To address these challenges, several clear recommendations emerge. First, expand female participation through tailored engagement strategies, including mentorship and community dialogues that resonate with young men’s roles in families and society. Second, strengthen peer mentorship and youth networks to extend psychosocial support and entrepreneurship guidance, ensuring sustainability through community ownership. Third, institutionalise longer-term business incubation models that combine mentoring, access to microfinance, and structured follow-up to support youth enterprises beyond initial training. Fourthly, improve stakeholder coordination for human rights workshops by planning earlier and strengthening institutional commitments to avoid delays. Lastly, maintain flexibility in vocational training design, continuously assessing market demand and adapting courses to ensure relevance and employability.