Sisanda Shange is one of two interns placed with The Domino Foundation through The Success Company, which has skills-development as one of its focus areas. Intern Administrator, Mendy Mhlungu, explained that Sisanda had been directed to them through the Yes4Youth programme which connects talented work-seekers to employment opportunities. “We place motivated young people in environments where their determination to win over their circumstances mean brighter futures. “
Sisanda’s story has been one of not being crushed by adversity. Disaster had struck in the floods of 2022 when the rudimentary Amaoti home she, her two siblings and their mother had built themselves was destroyed by torrential rain. The family moved into a destitute persons’ shelter for a year.
After her Matric, Sisanda assumed total responsibility for the running of a shisanyama, working alone from 7am to 9pm and until midnight over weekends. Often, her salary was paid late or not at all. However, the experience taught Sisanda sound entrepreneurial skills.
Sisanda’s details were sent to Domino and now, well into her internship year, she is being put through her paces on many fronts: data-capturing; manning the front desk; logging donated items and making sandwiches for primary school learners.
Recently, Domino’s ECD programme partnered with the Kinship programme, which cultivates “pro-environmental behaviour” where people learn to minimise the negative impact of their living on the environment. Sisanda was given the job of organising the refreshments for 80 pre-schoolers from Inanda for 9 days of excursions to the Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve with Kinship. There, an environment of play in Nature was created for the children away from their home environment.
Sisanda commented: “I was determined that the children would have something good to eat and drink each day while learning, playing and exploring in the Reserve.” The Kinship team taught the preschoolers about the small wildlife, the 200-plus bird species and the flora found there.
When the last of the 720 sandwiches from Domino were collected on the ninth day,
Sisanda reflected: “After I finish my studies, I will do a course in office administration. My dream is to have my own shisanyama business and help give my family a better life. The Kinship outings helped me understand how important it is to see what is really good and worth preserving so that everyone can benefit and make the world a better place.”
