Mahlogonolo Ngoepe

What does your company do?

Socio Skills Foundation is a disability transition foundation dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities through grassroots-level skills development. We focus on supporting learners with disabilities from special schools by equipping them with relevant, practical training that prepares them for successful integration into the open labour market. Our work extends beyond schools to include unemployed youth and women with disabilities. We offer diverse skills training programs in areas such as detergent and paint manufacturing, agriculture, and hospitality. These programs are designed not only to foster self-reliance and economic participation but also to break the cycle of poverty and gender-based violence (GBV) by promoting sustainable independence and income generation. Socio Skills Foundation is committed to creating inclusive pathways that recognise the potential of every individual, transforming lives through skill, dignity, and opportunity.

What is your biggest success?

CSI Legacy Award Winner (2024) Best NGO Working with Disability Socio Skills Foundation received national recognition for its impactful work, winning the prestigious CSI Legacy Award in 2024. This award celebrates excellence in corporate social investment and highlights the foundation’s outstanding role in advancing disability inclusion. National Footprint of Training Centers Established a national network of satellite training centre's reaching underserved communities, particularly townships, where 70% of the foundation’s work is focused. Transitioning Learners from Special Schools to Economic Participation Detergents & Paint-Making Program promoting township manufacturing and micro-entrepreneurship. National Disability Career Expo launched the National Employment Disability Career Expo spanning all 9 provinces, bringing visibility, access to employers, and exposure to career paths for learners with disabilities.

What has been your biggest hurdle?

Our biggest hurdle has been the lack of structured transition pathways for learners with intellectual disabilities after they leave special schools. While these learners have the potential to succeed, the gap between education and economic participation remains wide due to under-resourced schools, limited inclusive opportunities, and societal misconceptions.