Phumla Ndandani, Phumeza Mdabane, Iviwe Fulani and Tshepiso Klaas are some of the young women training to be nail technicians.
Twenty young women from Gugulethu and Nyanga are learning how to become nail technicians thanks to a five-month course provided by Ilitha Labantu a non-profit organisation that supports women and children affected by violence.
Azemahle Ndzoyi, 23, said she had leapt at the chance to do the course because she liked learning new skills.
“I'm a person who is always keen to better herself with new knowledge and skills. But besides that, I believe that there is an entrepreneurial spirit in myself."
Another trainee, Phumeza Mbabane, said she had always wanted to have her own source of income and not rely on her family. They had completed the theory side of the training and were now busy with the practical component, which she was eager to complete to start making money, she said.
Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said the course, which started in August, was part of the organisation's building bridges programme to break the cycle of domestic violence by supporting women to become self-sufficient and independent.
“As these remarkable women begin their practical training, they are not merely learning a trade; they are acquiring the tools necessary to transform their lives and their communities. The skills they develop will open doors to new opportunities, allowing them to pursue entrepreneurship and financial independence.”