How SerDev’s Social Employment Fund is Impacting Communities and Changing Lives

SerDev’s Social Employment Fund (SEF) program is making a difference in the lives of unemployed South Africans. The program’s primary objective is to provide employment to those in need, giving them work experience and training while helping to combat poverty. The SEF program has seen remarkable achievements since its launch in 2022, with the support of partners such as Temong, The Impact Catalyst, and the IDC.

Initially, the program aimed to provide 59 days of work over six months, but it has now been extended to selected workers for an additional 38 days. Since its inception, the SEF program has provided over 200 trainees to Ignite & Revive Kroonstad. As a result, the town received recognition as the Kwêla Town of the Year in 2022. The program also boosted the income of Green Kid SA, who helped to keep Kroonstad clean.

In addition to helping Kroonstad, the SEF program is transforming neighboring town, Edenville, into a vegetable food garden. It has also aided poultry growers in the Free State, encouraging them to produce more food gardens. Furthermore, the program has supported farmers in the SerDev ecosystem, helping them to create firebreaks and remove alien vegetation.

The program has had a significant impact on the lives of the 1,200 trainees who participated. For many of them, it was their first time earning an income and gaining work experience. They learned the value of hard work, taking instructions, and executing their tasks. The program has empowered them to apply for jobs, and some have even shown leadership skills, which could lead to long-term employment opportunities. 

The program has benefited other organisations and communities as well. SerDev and Temong have gained valuable experience, which will help them to create a track record for Temong. For towns like Kroonstad, Edenville, Welkom, Virginia, Mangaung, Bethlehem, various farms all over North West and Moot in Pretoria, the program has proven to be invaluable. The program has provided them with the labor needed to clean their respective towns or farms and embark on special projects.

The SEF program has had its share of challenges; however, the program has selected the best performers to continue with the program, and it has been extended with 38 days for 650 trainees and 20 leads of the original intake. Temong has applied for a next tranche of SEF, and hopefully, it will be approved. The program’s results will only become available later in April.