When Lehlogonolo Hlungwane from Modimolle first joined an aRe Bapaleng workshop, she believed her six-year-old son was simply naughty. He never seemed to listen. It was only after participating in our Active Learning Workshops and receiving home visits from our field coordinator that she realised he had a hearing impairment.
Public employment programmes are often framed as temporary relief. In reality, they are among the most effective economic tools available to a country facing structural unemployment, deep inequality, and fragile local economies. When designed well, public employment does not drain the fiscus. It activates it.
At the heart of this mission is Juanita Pardesi, a leader who sees change not as a destination, but as a living, breathing process—one that must grow, evolve, and adapt just like the communities it seeks to empower. As the CEO of Seriti Institute, she’s guiding a movement, one that invites people to step into their power and take control of their futures.
Eight in 10 young unemployed people have never had a job before. The Social Employment Fund is not perfect but it’s the best tool we have right now to ensure that young people gain their first work experience, alleviate poverty in communities and boost national spending. The programme needs government’s budgetary commitment in the medium term, write Juanita Pardesi and Kristal Duncan-Williams.
Programmes such as the SEF are designed to not only to create jobs but also to contribute to the upliftment of society. In my view, SEF is an example of a well-designed social employment programme that has the potential to be a game changer in the social development space.
aRe Bapaleng, a parental support programme of Seriti Institute, is addressing a vital gap in the early childhood development (ECD) ecosystem, supporting parents and caregivers in marginalised communities.
With such an accelerating pace of change in Seriti’s workload, we take courage in the meaning of our brand. There is a strong need for flexibility and responsiveness, and we are grateful to all our staff and social partners.
The programme is specifically targeted at supporting under-served communities in the Tshwane metropolitan municipality. The townships include, Soshanguve, Temba, Stinkwater and Hammanskraal.
Seriti Institute welcomes the judgment handed down by the Pretoria High Court on the matter brought by us against the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs relating to the Community Work Programme (CWP).
The Seriti Board, Staff and I strongly believe in accountability and fairness as our foundational values.
© Copyright 2026 | Seriti Institute. Website Powered by Casson Media | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Terms
