The Township dream: From Unemployed to Business Owner

After many years of suffering from poor economic conditions and high unemployment rate in South Africa, Isaac Ngoepe, a Ratanda township, Heidelberg resident beat all odds to change his status from unemployed to employer using powerful community development skills known as the Tools for Life.

Not only did he open a business that is successful, he now finds himself with so many clients that he now has to have permanent staff – a success he attributes to graduating from the Tools for Life program.

Mr. Ngoepe always had a drive to make it big but due to unstable economic conditions and high unemployment, job security is never guaranteed in South Africa. Deeply worried by hopelessness and fading dreams in the Heidelberg Township, he searched for solutions and found the Tools for Life, a powerful leadership and community skills development program delivered by the Scientology Volunteer Ministers.

Mr. Ngoepe found success after successfully opening a local laundry maintenance business known as RT PIANO SNEAKERS using these Tools for Life in his community in Ratanda, Heidelberg, he had to learn how to survive and achieve sustainability as a new entrepreneur.

"This is my community and I've always wanted to see myself prosper enough to help others. The conditions in the township are not for the faint of heart, there is unemployment, drug abuse, school dropout, crime and many other daily challenges that you must live with. I realized that no one was coming to rescue me and I had to take initiative, so I decided to stop waiting. I got introduced to the Tools for Life program and it was exactly what I needed. It equipped me with skills to be able to plan, strategize, expand, have a vision and provided me with clear insight, I knew exactly what to do next." said Mr. Ngoepe.

Convinced that he had found a practical way to get himself out of the grasps of unemployment, he trained hard on this free Skills Development Programme. His dedication proved to be successful, Mr. Ngoepe used these skills to motivate himself and change his status from unemployed to entrepreneur. He opened a very successful laundry service business in his community of Ratanda which has been growing ever since. He now has 2 permanent staff. His business offers footwear cleaning and maintenance, handbag cleaning and carpet cleaning with plans to add more services.

He is involved in teaching others the same skills he learned in order to uplift his community.

"I do care for my community. I have been able to change my life with the Tools for Life and I want others to experience the same. I have trained over 150 people in my community and aim to do more so we can have a prosperous future", continued Ngoepe.

According to him, the Tools for Life are capable of creating economic development, social change and community upliftment.

"Do not take this community development programme for granted, it completely empowered me and gave me the right mindset to get myself out of the ups and downs of the township. This Tools for Life program has really improved my life. They have made me more passionate about improving my community and creating opportunities for others. I want to expand, build a bigger working space and introduce more services and create more employment. We all have what it takes to create a proper township economy, we just need to work together as a community", concluded Mr. Ngoepe.

The "Tools for life" skills development program is delivered by the Scientology Volunteer Ministers at a free cost and is applicable to all members of society.