Minister Kitt announces support for Kilkenny Hurlers' Appeal for South Africa
Minister of State for Development and Human Rights, Tom Kitt TD, today announced that Development Cooperation Ireland (DCI), will be providing significant financial support for a project in Cape Town, South Africa which has been the focus of fundraising efforts by the All-Ireland Hurling Champions Kilkenny.
Funding of €26,000 has been approved for the Zanokhanyo Training Centre in Cape Town, which targets unemployed women in the region. By providing training in home management, hospitality, catering, clothes-making and life skills, the Centre enables women to find employment in a range of local enterprises and to start their own small businesses. The Centre claims a success rate of over 85% in terms of trained beneficiaries securing employment. The Centre is to be called ‘Kilkenny House'.
Minister Kitt commented that ‘our contribution, coupled with the funds raised by the Kilkenny hurlers and from other sources, including the Loreto Sisters, will enable the Centre to expand, offering training opportunities to an increased number of beneficiaries. The catchment area for this project is highly impoverished and unemployment rates stand at around 60%.'
Members of the Kilkenny Hurling team first became involved with the Centre when they visited it during the team's post-All Ireland Final holiday in Cape Town in 2002, and have been involved in a highly successful fundraising campaign since then.
Minister Kitt expressed the hope that ‘like the Kilkenny Hurlers, the Training Centre will continue to go from strength to strength.'
Note for Editors:
The grant to this training centre represents an example of Development Cooperation Ireland's commitment to supporting civil society organisations in South Africa in the context of a comprehensive programme approach in that country and a particular focus on addressing gender equity issues and opportunities for women in development.
For further details on the official programme in South Africa or in relation to civil society or gender, please go to: www.dci.gov.ie
