Survé Philanthropies and Amy Foundation Join Forces to Support Cape Town Youth
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Survé Philanthropies and Amy Foundation Join Forces to Support Cape Town Youth

The charitable organization Survé Philanthropies has announced a new partnership with Amy Foundation. The goal of this collaboration is to expand opportunities in education, skills development, and mentorship for children and youth living in vulnerable areas of Cape Town.

This interaction unites two organizations based in Cape Town that are focused on the long-term development of youth. They combine their resources to support local young people throughout their journey—from childhood to entering the job market.

Decades of Community Impact

Amy Foundation was founded by the parents of Amy Biehl, an American student who advocated for human rights, women's rights, the Constitution, and voter registration before her death in Gugulethu in 1993. This non-profit organization has been operating for over two decades, providing structured environments designed to help young people make positive life choices and acquire practical tools for the future.

The foundation's main areas of activity include:

  • After-school program: Operates in centers across Cape Town, assisting up to 1400 children weekly with academic support, life skills, sports, arts, culture, and environmental education.
  • Vocational training: Provides high school students (grades 10–12) with opportunities to study coding, debating, career counseling, and environmental studies.
  • Youth skills development program: Targets school leavers and unemployed youth aged 18 to 35, offering practical skills for employment.

Joint Focus on Education and Upliftment

The new partnership will aim to strengthen these existing key programs, promoting expanded access to technical training and mentorship for youth in underserved regions.

Saarah Survé, Chair of Survé Philanthropies, noted: 'Our partnership with Amy Foundation reflects a shared belief that giving young people access to education, practical skills, mentorship, and a supportive environment can help create stronger pathways to opportunity and societal participation.'

Michelle Bagley, Operations Director of Amy Foundation, welcomed the support, emphasizing its significance for building a sustainable future for young people. Bagley added: 'Through our partnership with Survé Philanthropies, we can strengthen this mission by creating more opportunities for youth to access skills, support, and paths to a better future.'

Survé Philanthropies, founded by Dr. Iqbal Survé, focuses its investments on education, healthcare, human rights, youth development, entrepreneurship, arts and culture, and environmental sustainability across South Africa.

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R103 million partnership opens new opportunities for South African youth
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R103 million partnership opens new opportunities for South African youth

For many young residents of South Africa, obtaining qualifications is just the starting point. The more complex task lies in finding a way to turn that qualification into a job, income, or sustainable business opportunity.

A new three-year partnership worth R103 million between the Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA) and Takealot aims to bridge this gap by creating practical pathways from learning to earning.

The launch of the partnership took place in Katlehong on September 29th. It is aimed at creating opportunities for 20,000 young people through activities such as personal shopper training, driver skills development, marketplace selling, and on-the-job training.

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, emphasized that skills development must involve industry so that young people can acquire competencies that employers truly require. He stated that 'there is no way our technical and vocational colleges and public colleges can graduate students needed by the industry without industry involvement.'

Manamela noted that the ultimate goal should be for training to lead to employment or entrepreneurship, with employers providing young people with practical experience by opening up their workplaces.

Services SETA Administrator Lekhlonolo Masoga reported that this partnership is designed to transform skills development into employment opportunities. He added: 'We entered this partnership with Takealot to transform skills revolution into job creation opportunities.'

For the youth, this program offers more than just a certificate. Participants gain practical work experience, develop digital technology and e-commerce skills, learn various ways to earn income, and build industry connections.

This collaboration is part of Services SETA's broader efforts to support internships, apprenticeships, and training for both employed and unemployed citizens, focusing on employment, entrepreneurship, and growth.

Masoga specified that if the program is successful over the next 12–36 months, Services SETA will consider increasing the resources allocated by Takealot to create even more opportunities for youth. The main message is that skills development should not end with receiving a certificate; it should help young South Africans take the next step—into the world of work, entrepreneurship, and meaningful economic participation.

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