Umzi Wethu

Nozibele “Nozi” Adonisi sees Umzi Wethu as a stepping stone for skills development as well as personal development. “Through Umzi Wethu, we were encouraged to have future goals and to do something we’re interested in. It gave me the opportunities I needed to earn a living and to finance my studies. Without Umzi, I don’t know where I would be now.”

Nozi first heard about the Umzi Wethu programme through a job skills project running in the Motherwell Township in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. She had always been interested in cooking and saw the Umzi Wethu Hospitality programme as an excellent opportunity to increase her knowledge and skills.

Phakamisa Mgqabuzana is a young man of few words and a quiet, unassuming nature, but he comes alive when describing his passion for baking. The young aspiring pastry chef has already registered the name for his future bakery, and is hoping to have it up and running in a few years’ time.

Before being selected for the Umzi Wethu programme, Phakamisa was earning a living by baking biscuits and selling them at the local taxi rank in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. “I learned how to bake from a friend of mine. I used to bake chocolate, custard and coffee flavoured biscuits, and also plain sponge cake,” says Phakamisa. He used the money to support his family including his sisters and his son.

Sonwabile “Soso” Tobi grew up in an impoverished area of Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Raised by his grandparents, Soso did not have the funds to study at university after graduating from high school. Looking for an alternative to help support his family and younger brother, Soso came across the Umzi Wethu programme. After attending the public presentation in his local community, Soso applied to become an Umzi Wethu Student.

“At that time, I did not have any ambitions to be a chef or do anything in the hospitality industry,” says Soso. “I liked watching TV shows about cooking, and I always wondered about all the different ingredients, but I never considered it as a career option. The presentation opened my eyes to see this as an opportunity for a better future, so I applied.”

Born in Johannesburg, Simphiwe Ngubane (25) never even dreamed of visiting the ocean, but at just 25 years old, he has built himself a successful career in marine coastal management at Addo Elephant Park.

After moving to the Eastern Cape and graduating from high school, Simphiwe didn’t know what career to go into. He approached his economics teacher for advice, and was referred to the Umzi Wethu programme. “I didn’t know anything about the programme, and I had no interest in nature at that time, but I’m very glad that I went for the interview,” says Simphiwe. As part of the first conservation intake, Simphiwe learned to love and respect nature and the people around him. He also grew as an individual and became more confident in himself and his abilities.

Abandoned at birth, Lwazi Xinwa (24) spent his first five years growing up in a children’s home in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape. Adopted by loving parents, Lwazi spent the next eight years thriving in a stable household. However, at age 13 his life turned upside down once again. His father was diagnosed with a terminal illness, and Lwazi’s parents revealed to him that he had been adopted. “I was so angry, so many mixed feelings,” says Lwazi. “I was so upset that my father was sick but I felt angry at the same time.”
Following the death of his father and mentor, Lwazi became a rebellious teenager, but his mother continued to encourage him and guide him through life. At age 18, Lwazi’s mother became very ill and couldn’t work anymore. “I graduated matric and had to find a job immediately so that I could support my family,” says Lwazi who ended up doing packaging for R20 a day. “I just kept praying that there was something else out there for me. I needed to find some hope,” says Lwazi. “My life was really a mess after school. I even thought about joining a gang and robbing people. I got mixed up in the wrong crowd and I am just grateful that the opportunity for Umzi came along when it did, because all of my former friends joined a gang and most of them are now dead.”

A young Umzi Wethu graduate from Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, has excelled at the SA Chefs Academy in Cape Town. Thembelani Wiseman Gunya (22) was the second Umzi Wethu graduate to receive a grant for further education at the SA Chefs Academy, where he spent a year under the mentorship of some of the finest chefs in the country.
After graduating matric in 2007, doing particularly well in maths and science, Thembelani went on to study mechanical engineering at a college in Uitenhage. However, he was not passionate about the course and due to financial constraints he started looking for other opportunities for further education.
He heard about the Umzi Wethu programme through a friend and decided to apply for it, although he did not know much about it.