Remgro’s continued generosity in helping unemployed, unskilled and semi-skilled individuals in Stellenbosch obtain much needed skills in the job market, has led to 11 more graduates being trained in health and frail care at Bergzicht Training and Development.
Bergzicht Training and Development is a Stellenbosch-based NGO that is dedicated to developing the skills of poor, unemployed, unskilled and semi-skilled individuals in the Western Cape through the skills development programmes and courses it offers.
“We appreciate the financial support that we have received from Remgro over the years, however, our relationship with Remgro has extended far beyond funding to also provide us with additional training where needed and improved wifi coverage for the Bergzicht Training and Development campus. We also appreciate the fact that you are always present at the graduation ceremonies of our students to support them on this day,” said Mr Adrian Bezuidenhout, Training Manager at Bergzicht Training and Development.
The graduates were also addressed by Ms Cheryl Farao, Community Project Manager at Remgro, as well as Sister René De Silva, Head of Nursing at Stellenbosch Provincial Hospital.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to get to speak to all of you today,” said Farao. “This day has finally arrived after all the hard work that you have put in. It’s a privilege for Remgro to support community development in this way and it is always a privilege to see how women can turn around their circumstances to change their family and community. I believe that the people who make this nation tick, are women.”
“Tomorrow matters,” said Farao, sharing the slogan associated with all Remgro’s corporate responsibility initiatives. “You are going to go out into the workplace and you are going to work with people and when it comes to working with people, you will have to have resilience. But you will also have to have ethics and integrity. Ethics is when you choose to do the right thing when no one is watching while integrity is what will drive you to be a trustworthy and dependable employee.”
Commenting on the close relationship the students had developed with each other during the course of their training and the bond they shared with the Health and Frail Care Programme assessor, Ms Hester Gelderblom, Sister De Silva said: “When I watched all of you performing a dance to thank Bergzicht Training and Development, Remgro and your friends and family, and the emotional exchanges with your teacher, I thought, I have to remind them to ‘savour the moment they have just felt’. Take that excitement and joy of today with you when you say goodbye to Bergzicht Training and Development and hello to the world.”
“Remember this day because there will be days that you feel that this is not working, when your client will be really ungrateful for everything you do for them, and when they will say really hurtful things to you. On those days you are going to need the resilience to just put a smile on your face and give them the care that they need. So hold onto this moment so that you can draw on that joy and excitement on the tough days.”
The students thanked Remgro for giving them the opportunity to acquire health and frail care as well as life skills while at Bergzicht Training and Development.
“One of the most important things we learned about was self-awareness. You have to know yourself well if you want to do this kind of work,” said Sinawo Tinzi.
“Thank you so much for investing in us and giving me this opportunity. There were times I wanted to give up, but Bergzicht taught me how to stay motivated and continue during the difficult times. When I went to Spescare in Stellenbosch, I had to work outside my comfort zone and I achieved that by setting medium-term goals for myself and going for it,” said Octavia Julies.
