“Look, this is my restaurant where I work”! Clint from Cape Town, South Africa, can hardly believe that he is now one of the successful people who earn their own money. He likes his job and is making plans. That was not always the case. He grew up in a poor district and was loitering on the street, without a job and hope for a good future.

Here is where the WOP initiated by Kolping South Africa takes effect. WOP means “Work Opportunity Program”: Young people are prepared for entering the working life. In special courses they are mentored by a social pedagogue and learn to acquire self-consciousness and courage and to apply for an internship. If intern and employer get along well together this often results in an apprenticeship, like in Clint’s case. When he got the chance to be trained as a cook he took it and left his former life behind.

After having finished his training he soon got a good job: he now works for a top restaurant in Cape Town and is happy for the first time in his life. “My dream is to travel the world, get to know new spices, other ways to prepare meals. And then one day open my own restaurant with meals from all over the world, that would be great”!