Durban ICC partners with NEF to inspire young leaders of the future

The National Empowerment Fund partners with the Durban ICC to invest in learners at this year’s “Take a Girl Child to Work Day.”
The Durban International Convention Centre (Durban ICC) is proud of its achievements in providing the local youth with world-class experiential learning opportunities in the organisation’s various departments.

The “Take a Girl Child to Work Day” initiative is an annual corporate social investment undertaking, held in South Africa since 2003. Companies involved would typically organise for female learners (school pupils), usually from disadvantaged backgrounds, to spend the day at the workplace. The objective of the campaign is to give the learners the opportunity to visit a place of work and experience first-hand, the “world of work” and various career opportunities available in the industry and within the public and private sectors.

The project is endorsed by the Department of Education and finds its most avid support from the office of the Presidency wherein girls have been hosted annually since the inaugural event. This year the Durban ICC partnered with the National Empowerment fund (NEF) to host 50 female learners from rural areas within KwaZulu-Natal for the 2016 initiative.

The Durban ICC and various stakeholders arranged a day full of activity with the aim of “deepening the thinking of the girl child with regard to their infinite roles in society, enhancing their self-esteem, inspiring and motivating them to reach their full potential and through exposure to diverse careers and positive role models assist them in preparing for the world of work”. Additionally, the impact of the day will be far-reaching, as the learners typically share their learnings with their family and broader social community.

The programme included a networking breakfast and motivational talks by some of the most influential women in the industry, this was then followed by a tour of the Durban ICC, and a delicious lunch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium before ending the day with a live interview on a popular radio station.

The important message aimed at the girl learners is that “If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it.” Commenting on the initiative, Durban ICC CEO, Lindiwe Rakharebe noted, “We all come into this world bearing different gifts, whether we are men or women.  The paramount gift is a gift of purpose in one’s life.  I would encourage all these young girls to find their unique purpose and live it out.”