Khulisani
“It doesn’t feel like anything I have is a disability because I can do anything I put my mind to”
Shaquem Griffin
Welcome to Khulisani, a passionate and purpose-driven organization committed to the upliftment of persons with disabilities. Since our establishment in 2011, we have made it our mission to provide skills development, employment opportunities and enterprise development initiatives that positively impact our clients’ BBBEE business objectives. As a 51% black female owned business, we take pride in our diverse and inclusive approach to facilitating and guiding over 1,000 learners with disabilities to competency across our seven accredited learnership qualifications. At Khulisani, we believe that everyone deserves equal opportunities to succeed and thrive, and we are committed to making that a reality for individuals and communities across South Africa.
What We Do At Khulisani
At Khulisani, we offer a unique learning model for persons with a disability who are interested in Agricultural based Learnerships, Entrepreneurship and Food Handling Learnerships. Our learning program comprises of both theoretical and practical training sessions that take place at our Merrivale Campus as well as our 34Ha working farm in Tweedie. All our learners are persons with a disability or come from disadvantaged communities, and we pride ourselves on our partnering approach with supporting client enterprises.
We offer a 12-month dedicated program that focuses on facilitating and guiding learners to competency across our 7 accredited Learnership qualifications. Khulisani manages the full Learnership program, including Human Resources oversight and support, on an end to end basis.
Additionally, we offer developmental interventions through Enterprise Development and Socio Economic initiatives that aim to ensure learning is cemented into sustainable earning opportunities for persons with disabilities while targeting BBBEE scorecard strategies for supporting client enterprises.
We Take Action. To Make Better Changes
We believe that the work we do would not be possible without the support of individuals and organizations who share our vision for a more just and equitable society. We are grateful for every donation, every volunteer hour, and every act of kindness that helps us make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Volume Of Produce Donated
Volume Of Milk Packaged By Learners
Qualifications Completed
Our Services
Our material, facilitation and assessment methodology has been specifically tailored to the unique needs of learners with a disability. Our facilitators are selected based on their qualification and their ability to work with our learners that are differently – abled.
Skills Development
The Khulisani Academy is a fully accredited training provider with the Agri Seta and Services Seta and Food Bev SETA.
We are uniquely positioned in that we are able to provide our learners with a 5 year learning journey, by progressing our learners through 5 of our qualifications resulting in them obtaining the required skill to set up their own agri-based small business.
Through our dairy processing unit as well as our partnership with a local cheesery we are also able to offer the Food and Beverage Handling NQF 1 qualification providing the learners with quality hands on experience to develop a common integrated and co-ordinated approach to the handling of food and related products.
Our material, facilitation and assessment methodology has been specifically tailored to the unique needs of learners with a disability. Our facilitators are selected based on their qualification and their ability to work with our learners that are differently – abled.
Uniquely, our learnership program is run on a full-time basis with the theoretical component being taught at the academy and practical component being facilitated on the farm, with an excess of 240 contact days over the course of the learnership. This not only provides a completely outsourced solution to our clients but provides an average of 10 times the industry norm for facilitation on a learnership program.
Upon successful completion, learners will possess the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions in agri-business, demonstrating a strong grasp of fundamental principles and good agricultural practices. They will effectively contribute to the achievement of objectives and targets outlined in the farm plan, employing efficient resource management, agricultural production techniques, and technical expertise within the context of Plant Production.
This qualification empowers learners to engage in farming practices, directly contributing to Local Economic Development by producing food, enhancing household food security, and enabling access to mainstream agriculture.
Upon completion of this program, learners will possess the necessary skills to enter the workforce across various sectors and confidently perform entry-level tasks assigned to them. They will have cultivated a sense of initiative, developed valuable business skills, and acquired an entrepreneurial mindset that can be applied within established companies or utilized to establish their own small businesses.
This qualification defines the essential knowledge, skills, and values necessary for individuals to pursue further education and training in the field of food and beverage processing, as well as other food-related qualifications within the Further Education and Training Band. It serves as a foundational qualification for those interested in pursuing a career in food and beverage manufacturing, providing a solid entry point into the industry.
This qualification is designed for aspiring or current entrepreneurs, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to seize opportunities and establish sustainable businesses within the mainstream economy. It empowers learners to capitalize on these opportunities, enabling them to pursue and compete for business opportunities in both the public and private sectors. By completing this qualification, learners will be well-positioned to tender for contracts and actively contribute to economic growth and development.
Khulisani Farming
The 34-hectare Khulisani Farm, situated in the KZN Midlands, was established to bring to life the theory taught in our academy.
The farm is structured on a mixed farming model which includes:
- Organic hydroponic plant production
- Beef herd
- Dairy processing unit
- Free range chickens
- Horses and goats
On the farm, learning is designed to meet the practical learning outcomes required by each qualification. A sample of the practical experience gained includes:
- Planting, harvesting, and packaging of fresh produce
- Pasteurizing, production, and packaging of dairy products
- Animal Health
- General farm maintenance
ENTERPRISE AND SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT
LEARN TO EARN
Khulisani provides a unique opportunity for businesses to invest their Enterprise Development (ED) and Supplier Development (SD) spend in a cause which not only supports a majority black owned business, but importantly, creates the opportunity for the upliftment of the most marginalized portion of the south African population: Persons with a disability.
Should our client wish to employ a person with a disability, Khulisani is able to provide coaching and mentoring support services including sensitization workshops and accessibility audits.
SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Established in 2003, Employability Vulindlela, is a S18 Non-Profit and Public Benefit Organisation focusing on the upliftment of persons from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Employability Vulindlela works closely with Khulisani in identifying, supporting and delivering on a range of upliftment projects in various rural communities.
We Invite YOU To Get Involved
We believe that the work we do would not be possible without the support those who share our vision for a more just and equitable society.
We are grateful for every donation, every volunteer hour, and every act of kindness that helps us make a difference in the lives of those we serve. Together, we can create a brighter future for all.
