Cradock

Background information

Cradock is a small town with a population  of about 30,000, of which 27% is not economically active and 14.73% is unemployed. The majority of the unemployed are from the previously disenfranchsed national groups. Of those that are employed,the majority are in elementary occupations and earn below R1,500 per month.

The number of child protection and youth development facilities and programmes are very limited. There is one established creche that operates on a half day basis in Lingelihle, and another in Michausdal - both communities were apartheid developed areas of residence for Black and Coloured designated population groups.

Political significance of Cradock

Cradock become well known owing to its resistance against apartheid. In the 1980s, 4 political activists were murdered and are known as the Cradock 4.

PASCaP Learning and Development Programmes

Three learning programmes were offered in Cradock in 2003 primarily to unemployed women and out-of-school youth.

These programmes were:

These were the first accredited learning programmes to be offered by a non-profit development provider in Cradock.

The follow-up work for 2003/4 was an Implementation Support Project which aimed to assist programme participants to launch child protection and youth development programmes in Lingelihle and Michausdal.

There are now 6 established after school projects serving Cradock's low income communities. These projects are being managed and facilitated by graduates of the learning and development programmes offered by PASCaP.

The projects are:

1. Bhongolethu
2. Eyethu
3. Khulisani
4. Ntinga Ntaka Ndini
5. Sakhile
6. Sihle.

In 2006, PASCaP's work in Cradock will focus on facilitating the development of a Micro-Enterprise Project that aims to: