The Income Generation Programme

Lack of education, training, and employment creates powerlessness and dependency in women and makes children vulnerable to malnutrition and illnesses. Philani has tried to redress this by focusing on creating and offering education and training opportunities to mothers.

Skills’ training occurs at our Development Centre, where mothers are taught silk-screening printing, weaving, linoleum printing, fresco painting, collaging and beading.  Mothers are then able to practise these income-generating skills at the Development Centre’s workshops or at any of the five Nutrition Centres based around Khayelitsha.

The women participating in this programme are mothers who are or once were enrolled in Philani’s Mentor Mother and Nutrition Programmes, women referred from community organisations, and mothers with social problems and children at risk.

We are committed to making venues and services available to women who have completed the skills training programmes in order to make it possible for them to earn a living from their craft. Approximately 65% of income generated through sales at the shop, orders and commissions, are paid to the mothers producing the crafts while 35% is retained to cover materials, transport, marketing and other costs.

The programme offers support and a way out of extreme poverty for mothers, and combined with the work of Philani’s health programmes, helps to improve the lives of vulnerable women and children.