Forty graduates turn conservation training into economic opportunity
The training focused on agriculture, food preservation, leather and beauty product manufacturing, supported by the government and private sector partners. It aims to equip vulnerable community members with hands-on skills to start their own businesses and build self-sufficiency.
Seiso Mohai, deputy minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development, applauded the graduates for embracing an opportunity that links conservation with job creation.
'We must begin to see agriculture and biodiversity not only as tools for survival but as platforms for innovation and growth. What we are witnessing today is not just a graduation but a shift in how we build resilience in our rural communities,' said Mohai.
Skumsa Nthanga, SANParks head of socioeconomic transformation and Vision 2040 project lead, told TimesLIVE that the programme's purpose is to empower communities, especially those near biodiversity-rich landscapes, to reclaim their heritage through sustainable economic activity.
'We want to see beneficiaries establish and run their own enterprises. Our national parks are in remote areas with limited job opportunities. This programme is about closing that gap,' she added.
One of the graduates, Thulisa Mnqabisa from Nomathamsanqa, said she closed her beauty salon to join the training. 'I wanted to learn how to develop my own beauty products and eventually use them in my salon,' she said.
Mnqabisa told TimesLIVE that she now plans to manufacture and distribute her beauty products to BnB houses and hotels. 'The knowledge I got here will help me employ others in my community. That's the dream.'
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