Local skills centre Out of the Box is being targeted by criminals.<\/p>\n
The facility is situated at the Pavilion Centre, in Refinery Road and, in recent weeks, has been burgled twice.<\/p>
Nina Venjakob, the founder of the centre, told the GCN that this has resulted in damages which will deprive 22 people of the possibility of learning a new skill.<\/p>\n
“Instead of teaching a deserving adult a skill and helping them to start their own business, we have to replace locks, windows and equipment,” she said.<\/p>
\u201cThe computer course we were about to start is on hold until we can afford to replace all the monitors and cables that were cut and ripped off the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n
The latest incident, on March 20, took place at 4.30am.<\/p>\n
Venjakob said that when her worker at the premises chased after them, the thieves fired six shots at him.<\/p>\n
Out of the Box works with people from the townships and informal settlements in the Germiston area, teaching skills to those who have none and who cannot find a job.<\/p>\n
All the courses are aimed at making it possible for people to work from home, so that they can still take care of their families.<\/p>\n
The skills centre is rented from Eskom and Out of the Box does not receive any government funding.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe go out and beg for every cent, so that we can change lives and give people a future,\u201d said Venjakob.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese criminals need to realise that we have nothing worth stealing and that every time they break in it costs us a fortune to replace everything; we could have skilled people with this money and given them a future.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Other articles about Out of the Box:<\/p>\n