In the past three months, Afrika Tikkun has trained over 600 unemployed young people in Diepsloot.
Afrika Tikkun, in partnership with the MTN SA Foundation, has opened a digital skills hub in Diepsloot.
Through the Afrika Tikkun Digital Skills Hub, the partners aim to equip young people with the skills needed to thrive in a fast-changing, AI-driven economy.
The initiative directly supports national priorities, such as the Youth Employment Intervention and the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy, positioning Diepsloot youth as active contributors to South Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
In a statement, the partners highlighted that Diepsloot faces high unemployment rates and limited access to technology.
In the past three months, Afrika Tikkun has trained over 600 unemployed young people in the area, focusing on digital literacy, job readiness and technical skills, demonstrating strong demand for opportunities in the digital economy.
“The real heroes of today are the young people of Diepsloot and the dedicated Afrika Tikkun team who walk this journey with them every day,” says Nompilo Morafo, MTN group chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer.
“We are honoured to support a partnership that uplifts communities from within. Diepsloot is showing South Africa what is possible when youth are equipped, empowered and given a platform to succeed.”
In March, Afrika Tikkun partnered with the Gauteng Department of e-Government, along with Microsoft SA, Vodacom and Maponya Mall, to provide a digital learning platform for Gauteng residents.
Called Mzansi Digital Learning, the platform provides free access to industry-recognised foundational and practical digital skills training and certification, according to a statement.
The newly-launched hub includes 55 upgraded digital workstations and will serve as a central training site for the MTN Skills Academy, offering courses ranging from coding and digital literacy, to data analytics, website development and digital marketing.
At the launch, Marian Claite, chief operating officer at Afrika Tikkun, said: “The greatest contribution one can make is helping another person reach their full potential without expecting financial reward or recognition. The Digital Skills Hub will enable this kind of impact by equipping our youth with skills and guiding them toward opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach.”
The hub represents a scalable model for township-based digital inclusion, demonstrating how strong partnerships can expand access, build local capability and reshape communities’ economic pathways, reads the statement.
