Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Supports Students with Special Needs in Vocational Training in the Republic of South Africa

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Supports Students with Special Needs in Vocational Training in the Republic of South Africa

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Supports Students with Special Needs in Vocational Training in the Republic of South Africa

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Supports Students with Special Needs in Vocational Training in the Republic of South Africa

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided equipment support to the school working in the field of formal education as well as vocational training for students with special needs in the Republic of South Africa.

As a part of the project carried out by TİKA which aims to integrate intellectually disabled children into society by improving employment opportunities for them, the equipment support needed by the Golden Steps Special School was provided.

TİKA renovated the Hairdressing Training Salon of the Golden Steps Special School in the Durban city of the KwaZulu-Natal province in eastern South Africa and provided equipment support for the relevant salon within the scope of the project conducted.

The school which offers education for 218 students with intellectual disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, and ADHD (attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder) works to prepare these children for life through formal education and particularly vocational training.

Offering vocational training in the fields of wood processing, metal processing, cookery, tailoring, agriculture, and hairdressing, the school was affected by the plundering that happened in the region in July 2021, was destroyed and lost most of its equipment.

The project carried out restarted the training in hairdressing which is a major source of employment for disabled students.

Speaking at the ceremony for the re-opening of the school, Manager of Golden Steps, Anesh Singh reminded their press statement they made in tears after the plundering and thanked everyone who supported. TİKA’s Program Coordinator in Pretoria, Albulkadir Abukan highlighted the importance attached by TİKA to education projects, indicated the significance of acquiring a profession for the active participation of the students with special needs in social life, and expressed their faith in the class renovated and furnished in this context to meet the needs. Turkish Ambassador to Pretoria, Dear Ayşegül Kandaş also provided information on the projects held by TİKA and expressed the positive impression they gained in their previous visit to the school. Deputy Minister of Social Development, Dear Hendrietta Ipeleng Bogopane-Zulu who is also genetically visually impaired talked about the experiences of both themselves and their children and explained the studies they conducted to raise the living standards of the disabled and to increase their participation in social life. Following the opening, the salon was examined and the Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu thanked TİKA and stated that they would appreciate the continuation of similar work.

TİKA continues to support the building of bonds at heart, the opportunities of vocational training and employment for students with special needs, and their socialization through this project carried out for disabled individuals.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).