Cares Foundation is empowering young women to take on the world, proving that with the right support and opportunities, today’s young women can run businesses, win races and inspire entire communities.
In today’s fast-changing world, opportunities that allow young women to thrive are more important than ever.
Recognising this need, the Betway Cares Foundation, in partnership with the Camblish Training Institute and Metrobus, recently launched the Women in Trades learnership programme designed to give young women the tools, confidence and knowledge they need to start their own businesses.
The programme creates a platform for personal and professional growth and also celebrates the power of collaboration, showing us all what can happen when organisations invest in young women at the grassroots level.
Building businesses and futures
At the heart of the programme is a crash course in entrepreneurship, giving participants practical guidance on how to establish and grow a business. The sessions are designed to be accessible yet impactful.
Many of the women involved came from communities where access to such training is limited and so the Women in Trades learnership programme offers them a chance to gain skills that could set them on the path to financial independence.
“It’s not just a learnership,” Vanessa Roos, general manager of the Camblish Training Institute, explains. “It’s going to empower women. They’re going to be able to start their own businesses at the end of the month, so it’s really a great, exciting opportunity today.”
For the Betway Cares Foundation, this programme aligns with its mission to empower communities through meaningful initiatives that go beyond sport and entertainment. By investing in women entrepreneurs, Betway is helping to create long-term change that benefits families and communities as a whole.
Bakang Lethoko, head of the Betway Cares Foundation, explains why this programme fits so well into the foundation’s aims.
“At the core of the foundation, our aim is to come up with programmes that have impact, programmes that are sustainable and, most importantly, programmes that help to restore the dignity of the people of South Africa. It’s important for us to play the role that we do to ensure that people can stand on their own.”
A different kind of empowerment: Khaltsha Cycles
While the learnership programme offers business knowledge, Khaltsha Cycles provides a different but equally powerful form of empowerment.
Based in Khayelitsha, the organisation offers young girls a safe place to spend their afternoons, doing homework, receiving tutoring and learning to cycle. For many, it’s their first taste of independence, freedom and discipline.
Khaltsha Cycles is more than just an after-school programme – it’s a launchpad for dreams. Over the years, the organisation has nurtured talented young riders who have gone on to compete on international stages, including the prestigious Tour de France Femme Avec Zwift, where Sesthu Ubeka and Ngcali Simelela are currently embarking on a history three-month journey through France and Spain.
Creating a shared impact
What makes these stories remarkable is how they complement each other. While one programme equips young women with the tools to succeed in business, the other gives them the confidence and resilience that comes from sport.
Together, they show that empowerment is not one-dimensional – it requires opportunities in multiple spheres of life. The Betway Cares Foundation’s involvement in both initiatives reflects a broader commitment to uplift women in ways that create lasting impact.
As these young women take bold steps into the future, whether launching businesses or competing in world-class races, they embody the truth that when given the right tools and support, women can transform the world around them.
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