It is important to give props to exceptional people who go about helping the community and those in need of betterment without huge fan fare. Nina Venjakob is one of those people, doing her part in the aspect of bettering and empowering adults in poor communities with life skills thereby making them independent to earn their own living.
20 Years of making a difference
Nina arrived back in
Determined to make a small difference to the dire economic environment within which she found herself, she immediately began searching for a niche in which to develop a cause that could have a positive effect for an extensive home industry which she discovered, that had no business or distribution skills.
She identified various sales channels through her many business contacts and corporates she had come to know over the years. Out Of the Box was then established through the need of skills for a formalized structure.
Skills of Empowerment
Out Of the Box itself is based on a property called The Pavilion on the corner of Refinery and Power Roads, Germiston. Most of the adult learners come from squatter camps such as the Good Hope camp in Germiston.
Nina will often visit the squatter camps in Germiston and surrounds to “recruit” more people for the centre by selling them the opportunity to learn a skill and therefore better their chances of having a little more economic freedom. It isn’t always easy as she reports that many people are suspicious or simply not interested- a surprising fact, but an understandable one all the same for these people have often been disappointed by the promises of a better life from government.
Learning Programs on Offer
Such diverse skills taught at the centre via volunteers and paid staff include:
Beading, Sewing, Embroidery, Quilting, Soap making, Candle Making, Jewelry making, Mosaicing, Screen-printing, Knitting, Paper making and card making, Tin and wire work, Woodwork, Ceramics, Glass, Computer Literacy, Literacy and Numeracy, Project Management, Business Skills and Life Skills.
Self Sustainability and Marketing
Out of the Box is an ongoing and urgent program, entailing and incorporating a showroom, marketing and exporting of products produced by the people skilled at the centre.
Exhibitions, Fund Raising Events, a Farmers Market, a Bakery, delivery of fresh products to Industrial Areas, production of Corporate Gifts, trophies, awards and incorporating the repair and restorations of items from antiques, jewelry, clothing, etc. Small businesses are sometimes started and run through the centre creating permanent jobs for the community etc.
A Positive Vision
To provide skills, hope and opportunity to disadvantaged, unskilled and uneducated South Africans at Skills Centers located all over
Out of the Box has a simple vision:
An EMPLOYED
Invitation and Partnership
Please consider a visit to the centre. It is amazing to see what is achieved on a daily basis.
Failing that, please invite Nina to visit you and do a presentation so that she can show you what this fantastic project is all about!
The public and businesses invited to become long term partners over a period of at least three years. We would welcome and overall partner or a partner per course.
(BEE Consultant: Paul Janisch, Caird - Broad-based BEE compliance experts, 083 227-1375, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
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The Pavilion, corner of Power and Refinery Roads, Germiston. 011-872 0967 Fax: 011 872 0968 61 Telephone: 011- 673 6592 Fax: 086 510 2579 E-mail:
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Website: www.outofthebox.org.za |
