“Growing up, my mother used to make my clothes for me. She would create dresses for special occasions like Christmas or Easter. This was always the norm for me. It wasn’t until my 13th birthday that I asked my grandmother if I could buy a dress from a shop. However, the clothing items from the shops just didn’t fit the way I wanted them to.

“I joined the Amy Foundation in April of 2021. I had an interest in fashion and dreams of becoming a designer, but I lacked experience. When I heard about the available sewing program, I signed up, thinking it would be a perfect way to start my journey. During the course, I learned all about sewing, starting with the basics such as lines, different parts of

I joined the Amy Foundation in January of this year. My cousin told me about the programmes after hearing about it through one of his colleagues, who mentioned that the foundation was recruiting. That evening, I went to the Facebook page and applied. I had the most interest in the hospitality programme, specifically in the culinary sector. I had no experience with cooking, so I

After high school, I wanted to continue my studies, but I couldn’t find anything that I could afford. I was living with my parents and was financially dependent on them. One day, while at church, a family friend was talking with me and my mother about a school she was attending. That was the first time I had heard of the Amy Foundation. I joined

‘In May 2017, I decided to start volunteering at Mimosa, one of the after-school programme centres in Bonteheuwel. I was there for a couple of months until the centre coordinator referred me to Youth Skills Development [YSD] Programme to help me learn and upskill myself. At the end of July 2017, I joined the YSD hospitality programme because I was clueless when it came to

“I come from Johannesburg. When I came to Cape Town in June 2019, the Amy Foundation took me in and set me on a good path. They taught me so many important things that have stuck with me ever since. They showed me that discipline is key if you ever want to achieve something. Unless you’re ready to give it your all, you won’t make

“I was 22 when I joined the Amy Foundation, I came through the Hospitality programme, in the culinary group. I had always enjoyed cooking and being in the kitchen and wanted to further develop these skills. As well as cooking, The Amy Foundation helped me develop personally, improving things such as my confidence. Before the Amy Foundation, I was, and still am, an introvert, I

“I grew up loving nails and makeup, but I only found out it was my passion until I attended some beauty lessons. It was 2020 at the time. I immediately quit my job to start up a beauty business. Although I had no guaranteed clients, I wasn’t scared to take the first step. Slowly but surely, after much hard work and putting the business out

“I’m 26 years old and am from Bonteheuwel. I’ve been living here my whole life. It’s a small community, and I love it so much. Growing up, we didn’t have many role models to look up to, so I hope I can become that for the children. I was a student at the Mimosa school first, and one of my friends told me about the

“At the age of 19, I joined the culinary group in the hospitality program at the Amy Foundation. Everything was so new, but the workshops and lessons were very enjoyable. This sparked an interest in cooking for me, and I realised making good food was becoming my passion. With everything you do, challenges always present themselves. For me, it was speaking English. Luckily the course

After School Programme [ASP] and Youth Skills Development [YSD] alumni, and current employee Yonela Nelani. “Currently at the Amy Foundation, I work in administration for YSD for the second year of my internship. I organize and communicate with the students, give them their schedules, prep stats, and help with recruitment. In 2005, when I was in school at 9 years old, I remember hearing the

Mzoxolo grew up in Khayelitsha and enrolled in the Amy Foundation’s hospitality programme in 2018. He didn’t know much about hospitality, but learned various culinary and entrepreneurial skills while at the foundation. “When I started here at the foundation I was so shy…when I was in the orientation I wouldn’t speak, I would just keep quiet even though I had questions I wanted to ask…But

“I was investing in myself.” Andile is 21 years old and has started two of his own businesses in less than a year after enrolling in the Amy Foundation’s Hospitality programme.  Andile grew up in Philippi, a township known for its agricultural development, and worked hard in grade school to matriculate in 2019. 27.3% of people in Western Cape are unemployed and it is incredibly