- Green Rider’s training programme in KTC, Gugulethu and Nyanga equips unemployed youth with skills to become independent entrepreneurs in the delivery industry.
- The three-month course covers road safety, customer service, business skills and e-bike riding, with participants receiving an electric bicycle upon completion.
- Councillor Suzanne Zumana praised the initiative, which has over 300 trainees, while participants encouraged peers to take advantage of such opportunities for self-empowerment.
Hundreds of young people from Ward 38 in KTC and the surrounding communities gathered at a local community hall for a Green Rider training programme, which gives underprivileged youth a chance to become entrepreneurs.
The initiative, spearheaded by Green Rider (a company disrupting and revolutionising the last mile delivery space for fast food and small goods in the country), started late last year.
Craig Atkinson, the founder of the company, said they are partnering with various delivery companies in the country. He said the aim is to assist the young people to be able to generate money on their own. Training sessions are held in Gugulethu and Nyanga.
“We decided to come to the communities because we noticed that it is difficult for some of them to go to Table View for training. It is a three-month training course. We started it late last year and the first group will be graduating next month. It is not about riding a bicycle only. We have some classes where we teach them about rules of the road, customer service, being an entrepreneur and learning how to ride an e-bike etc,” he said, adding that once they qualify and ready to start a career Green Rider provides an electric bicycle for mobility and delivery for various customers.
He stated that there is no specific qualification needed. He praised the community for being supportive.
Councillor Suzanne Zumana described the campaign as part of skills development. She said more than 300 unemployed young people are taking part in the programme. “We believe that the training will help a lot of them. Maybe some of them will be able to start their businesses. We are trying to empower them to be independent,” said Zumana.
One of the trainees Okuhle Gakrishe (25) from B said the training came at the right time. She said she heard about the campaign on social media.
“Instead of sitting at home doing nothing, I decided to join it. We learn a lot here. It is not about riding bicycles we also study,” she said and urged her peers not to look down on these kinds of programmes.