If you’ve enjoyed a delicious pastry from the Woolworths bakery, you may have been served by Charlene. Until Charlene joined the WorkNow! Programme she had been unemployed for 3 years, with no idea how to find work for herself. Today Charlene wears her bakery uniform with great pride and is not only learning how to bake breads and pastries, but confidently serving customers and being trained in all aspects of retail.

Or perhaps you’ve treated yourself to a “corn dog” and been served by a very friendly gent from the Congo called Daddy. He too had been desperate for employment until he arrived at WorkNow! Daddy loves his job, particularly serving the children in the afternoons, who always give his heart a lift, no matter how tired he may be feeling!

And if you were fortunate enough to participate in either the Argus Cycle Tour or Two Oceans Marathon, you may not even have noticed the marshals in their bright red and white vests, cheering you along the route through Hout Bay. They too were from WorkNow! And for some of them, that day was the only income producing day in a long while. While R120 may not appear much to some of us, it certainly put a good plate of food on the table for many families that night.

WorkNow! is a non profit organization, funded by the Department of Social Services. Our aim is to help low to medium skilled workers find employment. Hout Bay is the perfect microcosm of South Africa, with people in the communities of Hangberg and Imizamo Yethu needing to find work, but not having the know how to “sell themselves” in any way.  Then there are the valley folk and the businesses in the village, keen to employ, needing assistance, but not sure how to source the right people.  WorkNow! acts as the intermediary for both groups. Work seekers are interviewed, references are checked, ID books are kept on file and a short CV is created for each person.  It is this personal interaction that is really working for the programme, in that care is taken to match the needs of the employer and employee as carefully as possible.

And it is succeeding hugely. A record number of work days was recorded in September (2 206), which means that 2 206 times in that month somebody put money in their pocket and could support themselves and the members of their often very extended family. WorkNow! is not only alleviating unemployment, but creating hope in our communities and word is spreading fast.

The Hout Bay valley is leading the way and has come forward to employ gardeners, domestics, nannies, painters, carpenters, pamphlet distributors, labourers, shop assistants, classroom assistants and more. Denise in the office is kept on her toes on a daily basis and really loves her job. Making a huge difference in the lives of people seeking help is what “floats her boat”. 

Work is what people really need, not handouts. A chance to regain self esteem and be proud of their contribution. Perhaps we all need to find more creative ways of employing people. To think twice before we paint the room ourselves or wash our cars on Sunday. If we can afford it, employing someone else for a day could be the only income they earn for a while. For the price of a family meal out once a month, we could each help feed at least three families!

Nothing speaks louder than personal recommendation!  Here are just a few of our regular employers, who have had great service from WorkNow!

Noncedo Dlova (childcare) has been a fantastic acquisition to my childcare business.  She is lovely with children, being confident and enthusiastic.  She shows a lot of initiative, but is prepared to listen and learn from instruction and feedback.  She is also punctual and reliable.  [Julie Sanders]

Lebona Bohloko (Labourer) is very willing, with a good grasp of English and I would unequivocally recommend him.  I find him honest, trustworthy and reliable.  I have used him on and off for a couple of months now, and am in the habit of asking for him when I need a job done.  [John MacFarlane]

Princess Ndevu (Domestic) started part-time for me, but is now a full-time employee.  I found out about Princess through HapAds, through what used to be called the CEI and is now called WorkNow.  Princess is a hard-worker, and highly dedicated.  She is a wonderful nanny to my boy.  [Sarah Largier]

Nomakwezi Mhlaba (Childcare) is a child minder for my business.  She is very good with the older children.  She shows lots of initiative and is keen to learn.  I trust her with babysitting my own children.  She is honest, punctual and reliable, and rarely sick or unable to come to work.  She is great to have around!  [Julie Sanders]

Sowetan April 25 2007

At Hout Bay’s small community employment centre, programme manager Tania Bownes sighs as she contemplates the 300 domestic workers and glut of gardeners on her list of jobseekers.

But there are only a handful of carpenters, stonemasons and seamstresses — all the plumbers and electricians have been snapped up.

“We have a vast pool of labour but a real lack of trained workers,” said Bownes, whose WorkNow project tries to find jobs for unemployed blacks living in an impoverished suburb of this otherwise wealthy town. “Skilled artisans are like gold.”

Bownes said that although many young people in the community are eager to be trained as carpenters or plumbers, they don’t have the money for the bus fare to Cape Town training centres and would lose desperately needed cash if they were at school instead of doing casual work.

“We see a lot of certificates in travel and tourism,” said Bownes about the job bank. “But there is a need for more practical training so they can go out and fix the toilet tomorrow.

“There may seem to be a lot of glamour in a head office but the money is in the practical work.”

The paradox in Hout Bay is witnessed throughout South Africa as the country struggles with estimated 40percent unemployment rate coupled with shortages in almost every profession and craft.

The government wants to train 50000 artisans by 2010. This will require an annual increase of 7500 artisans; more than double the number of students in higher levels of school and training for one million people; and a dramatic increase in the number of engineering graduates. — AP

By Tania Bownes

This is a story of hope. It is a story that proves the old adage “what goes around comes around.”

On Tuesday 14 August, 3 young men sauntered into the WorkNow! office asking if they could use the toilet. Just 10 minutes later, one of them charged back into the office, grabbing my handbag and shopping bag. I ran after him screaming wildly, but he and his 3 accomplices dashed across the ravine and disappeared into Imizamo Yethu. Traumatised and shaken, Denise and I immediately contacted Watchcom, but I never expected to have any of my stolen items returned.

About 2 hours later, my husband received a call from a lady called Cynthia, calling from a public phone. She informed him that her young daughter had found a handbag near their home, with my business card in it. Everything else was missing, but she could meet us in a few minutes to return my bag!

Cynthia

I was so touched and truly delighted to get something back. Cynthia and her 12 year old daughter, Sisipho met us up at the WorkNow! office. She took us to the spot where the bag was found and en route we found my car and house keys. More relief!

Cynthia lives in a tiny home, in an overcrowded and dark part of Imizamo Yethu. She is a single mom, raising 2 teenage girls. Given her situation in life, even I would not blame her for keeping my handbag and treating it as a lucky find. But Cynthia is a woman of integrity with a strong value system and keeping my handbag was never an option for this kind hearted being. Neither for her young daughter, who has clearly learned about honesty from her mom.

Sisipho

As we walked around, Cynthia and I got chatting. I learned that she had registered with WorkNow!, but had not yet been interviewed, owing to the backlog of people awaiting interviews. She had worked for 9 years as an assistant at Seaweeds Boutique, but was retrenched in February when they moved across to a smaller shop in Mainstream. 

I looked up Cynthia’s form and found a wonderful reference from her previous employer.  Synchronistically, Denise at the office received a call from a gentleman looking for a more mature assistant to run his ice cream shop in Mainstream. He had interviewed a few applicants, but none had measured up. Cynthia went for an interview and got the job, starting on Sunday 19 August.

Thank you Cynthia for your honesty, for restoring my belief in people and may you flourish in your new position!

By Tania Bownes

What would you do if your home burnt down three times in the past few years?  If you had no regular employment and a young child to support? Most of us cannot begin to imagine the stress and trauma surrounding such multiple loss, but for Melanie Johnathan of Imizamo Yethu, life has gone on.

Melanie lost her home to fire in Grassy Park before moving to Imizamo Yethu. Sadly, disaster struck again during the “big fire” a few years ago and she was one of hundreds of victims who lost their homes that year. Then on 12 May, while Melanie was at her pastor’s home for the night, another shack fire claimed 31 homes and the life of young Akona, just 19 years old. By the time Melanie arrived on the scene, ALL her material possessions were gone… for the third time!

Melanie

Melanie’s story is an inspiration to us all. She was interviewed for the WorkNow! programme at the end of 2006. At the time she was unemployed and desperate to find some work in our valley.  So when Denise, WorkNow’s office manager, called her to go out as an ad hoc cleaner on 16 February, she grabbed the chance with both hands…… and made sure she did a fabulous job!

From then on, she was sent out as a casual cleaner from time to time until May, when Denise put her forward for a domestic worker position with Danielle. Out of 7 possible candidates, she was selected.  This was a wonderful turn of events for her, in that it meant regular work, every Monday and Thursday.

Good fortune arrived yet again in the form of Alison, who employed her every Wednesday and then every Friday to attend to her mom’s home. So by mid May, Melanie had moved from totally unemployed, to casually employed, to 4 days a week on a permanent basis!

There was stability, there was income and above all, there was hope for Melanie and her 5 year old son. And then disaster struck in the form of fire, but this time everything was different for her. Her connections through her new employers, her connections through the members of WorkNow! have meant that Melanie has been given some help through her tragic loss. While noboby can take away the emotional  trauma, Melanie has found real “friends in need”. She has been given donations of money, clothing, food and household items for herself and her son. The love and care from her new employers and her WorkNow! community has gone a long way towards helping her pick up the pieces and begin  recreating her home for the 4^th time in just a few years. To us, Melanie is truly, a woman of courage.

The WorkNow! Team has to start thinking of a more self-sufficient future.  Our funding from the Government is only guaranteed to 2008; thereafter we might be on our own.  Already, our costs are running above our funding allowance.  Therefore, we want to build some funding now to secure the future of WorkNow!  We would be grateful for any donations to the project that you might think appropriate.  

For example, if everyone donated just 10% of their monthly employee payments to WorkNow!, we would gather sufficient funding to keep us going for another year!  If you have been happy with the service rendered by our staff and feel so inclined, we would be grateful for any donation to our WorkNow! account at FNB (branch code 204009), Account No: 62052818683.

Lesley Standfleet approached WorkNow! for assistance in cleaning the toilet facilities on Hout Bay beach and the community centres in Hangberg.  Workers had been employed via the Council previously, but he felt he would get better service through our programme.  He has employed 3 people to take care of these facilities until April 2007.

Bon Gertz, who is the main custodian of the Hout Bay Community Centre, recommended WorkNow! for a total garden overhaul at the centre. A large area of grass was weeded and top dressed, bushes were cut back and a range of waterwise plants planted. 10 men from WorkNow! were initially employed for 5 days, then the team was reduced to only 5 men for a further 10 days. This project resulted in a beautiful new garden at the community centre, high visibility for WorkNow! and 3 weeks of work for our team of gardeners.

Daddy  found himself out of work when his employer relocated overseas. After a long period with no income, he registered with WorkNow! Carol from our local Corndogs stand in the village was looking for a person to work full time selling her yummy range of corndogs. She had already interviewed a few candidates, but was persuaded by one of our WorkNow! directors to interview Daddy. And that's how a very grateful Daddy came to be selling corndogs every day to the ever appreciative kids of Hout Bay!

New Nando's outlet for Hout Bay

When WorkNow! project manager, Tania Bownes heard a rumour that Nando's would be opening a franchise in Hout Bay, she contacted their general manager and told him all about the programme. He said he would most certainly make contact nearer the time regarding staff recruitment.

About 22 people arrived for a full day's screening programme up at the Sijonga Phambili adult education centre, where the WorkNow! office is located. It was loads of hard work for everyone involved, but also lots of fun, with samples of Nando's sauces and spices being handed out and Nando's chicken on offer for lunch. Applicants were screened with a written English literacy and numeracy test, a verbal test and a general interview. Role plays were held to prepare potential applicants for the kinds of real life situations they might be facing day to day.

After a full day of screening, 9 lucky candidates were selected to work for Nando's in Hout Bay across a range of categories, from grillers to cashiers. Another successful day for WorkNow! in that 9 more people have found full time work through the programme.

World UCB cycling championship, July 2007

Bongani, Nomphelo, Vatihewa, Hilda, Andiswa, Kholiswa, Jeff, Madisa & Richard

Mandlenkosi, Sipho, Michelle & Gailyn cover Chapmans Peak.

Two Oceans Marathon Marshalls supplied by WorkNow! [April 2007]

Richard

Thandile

Khaya & Leonard

Thandile, Sisa, Chris, Lovers, Richard

WorkNow supplies marshalls to the Cycle Tour [March 4 2007]

Look out for marshalls supplied by WorkNow who will be on duty for the 2007 Argus Cycle Tour. 

Monwabisi with Ronald

January & February results [February 10 2007]

In January and February, you helped to create 2300 workdays for over 150 people who would otherwise have been unemployed.

Yebo beach Feva clean up project [December 17 2006]

WorkNow was privileged to be contracted to help clean up the Hout Bay, Clifton & Camps Bay beaches over the festive season. This entailed providing 3 teams of 10 workers plus a supervisor per beach. They worked from the 16th of December through to the 8th of January with only Christmas day as their day off. Work started with rollcall at 7am & beach cleaning finished at 3 30 pm. Their tasks included removing all litter, removing kelp where possible & educating the general public to support the beach cleanup campaign. Although the public did their bit each team removed on average 30 blue council bags of litter a day resulting in a total in excess of 2000 bags from the 3 beaches for the campaign. The public response was enormously positive with a number of beachgoers telling the team leaders that they were going to change their cellphone contracts to Vodacom because the beaches looked so clean! The teams had their tough times (like the Hout Bay team that found a body under the kelp) but also had plenty of fun. All teams made it into the local media in some way with the Camps Bay team making it onto SABC news.  The most positive aspect for the WorkNow organisation is that R93000 in the form of wages made its way into the hands of the unemployed over this period. Yebo Feva Beach cleanup was considered a huge success by everyone involved.

Happy Christmas for 143 workers [January 10 2007]

December was another record month with delivery of 1435 workdays.  143 people were employed at an average number of workdays of 10 per person

November another record month [December 3 2006]

With over 800 work days recorded, November was our busiest month to date.  This represents a 44% increase over our October figures and this was achieved with 97% of our customers being satisfied.

WorkNow launches IY fire appeal [November 9 2006]

Last night, in a howling South East gale, a fire ripped through Imizamo Yethu, burning 41 houses to the ground and leaving 181 people homeless.  One of these people was Zodwa Mbali. Last month Zodwa found employment through the WorkNow! programme for the first time in months. She was offered a job, Monday to Friday, as a domestic worker and for the first time in a long, long time, Zodwa felt hope again.  Last night, that hope burnt to the ground . She arrived home from work to a burning home. As a single mom, she is left with two sons, aged 4 and 11 and just a suitcase full of the few belongings her neighbours could salvage.  Zodwa is the first person from WorkNow! that we have heard about who lost her home in the fire. There could be more.  We have decided to set up a collection point at our office at Sijonga-Phambili and are appealing to you to help us help those in need.  We will find a way to best distribute items into the community and ask you to please look through your cupboards and let us have any of the following:

anything will be welcome and used in some way or another.  Should you prefer to make a monetary donation, please could you deposit the money into the WorkNow! account: Please use your name and Fire IY as a reference

Account:    Heavenly Promise

Bank:       First National Hout Bay

Branch:    204-009

Account:   62052818683

Record Month for October [November 3 2006]

October 2006 was another record month with 562 work days recorded, a whopping 138% increase over the August figures.   This fantastic result was achieve whilst retaining our employer satisfaction levels - 92% of employers were satisfied with their employees.

30 minute response time for supplying a domestic worker [October 11 2006]

In what must be our fastest response to date, Tania was called for help with a domestic at 10:30 am one day and by 11 am Margaret had reported for work at the employer !!

Record Month for September [October 3 2006]

September 2006 was a record month for WorkNow! with a total of 377 work days recorded.  The office has been running flat out with almost 300 application forms received and more than 200 interviews held.

WorkNow! at Classics in the Bay [October 1 2006]

Great fun was had by all that attended the annual Classics in the Bay at Kronendal School on Sunday October 1.  WorkNow! were proud to supply the Rotary Club of Hout Bay with 6 workers for the event.