​“The Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) is making a positive impact on the lives of young people across the province, and it remains a key programme of government to alleviate poverty and create employment especially for young people. It also helps to strengthen and enhance acceleration of service delivery to the people.” 
This was echoed during the Joint Site Visits with Social Sector Public Bodies led by the Gauteng Department of Social Development’s EPWP Programme held at the Reach Out Community Project (RECOP) in Evaton West, last Friday, 24th February 2023. 

The joint site visit intended to conduct monitoring and evaluation to the programme and to assess the impact it has in communities. 

Addressing the EPWP team from various departments, Seipati Motlabane said EPWP remains the key government programme that strives to uplift the socio-economic status of the poor and unemployed and also seeks to provide opportunities for basic training and transfer of skills development to young people across the province.

“We are really humbled by what the programme is doing to the community of Evaton, through this NPO (Reach Out Community Project), we are witnessing the impact of the programme to NPOs and more importantly to beneficiaries”, said Motlabane. She said that this is an indication that more work opportunities are needed in the sector to continue with eradicating poverty and unemployment, thus improving the lives.

Highlighting the impact of RECOP through EPWP within the community of Evaton West, Project Manager Rev. Dennis Dube said over 60% of the children in the local schools use the centre for their educational support programme. Recently, the organization has seen an increase in the number of learners that passed grade 12 and have been assisted to apply and have been admitted to institutions of higher learning with the assistance of RECOP resources. He indicated that a total of 157 children from ECD and Primary School use the centre through the support and guidance of the OVC care Givers. 

Through their Skills Development Centre, over 100 youth beneficiaries have graduated in the end user computer skills and have received their NQF level 3 certificates. 

Dube also said he is glad that the centre has met the standard that is required and set by government and they have been found to be complying with the monitoring project performance and compliance. 

Nonhlanhla Mkhwanazi said they are delighted with the cooperation that they got from the management of Reach Out Community Project, and they are convinced that the resources of the centre are being utilized appropriately. 

“As EPWP team we were also equally pleased by the positive impact that the programme has made on the lives of many families, children and the community at large across Evaton.