Here is a taste of the women I work with and some of the problems the encounter as unemployed females in Khayelitsha.
HIV/AIDS and illness:
“I couldn’t market myself out but there where a lot of problems with the family. I had to move down to the E. Cape and Cape Town I think 3 times already in the last year. Two months in between, but that was just family problems, the funerals, sickness, and stuff. I was not the one who but I had to go and help.” –Jillian Smile
Education level:
“If your mother is here you just give the baby to them and they will take care of it and you can go back to school.” –Solani Ntombizawo
“The other thing with myself, maybe I was capable up to that level but I realized I have been out of job for quite some time since 2001 until now; it is quite a long time. Sometimes you get your degree, your diploma from high school but you don’t have money to go further up especially with high school…” –Jillian Smile
“And then after Matric, 1998 I went to do my first year at the technical school. Because my results weren’t so good, so I didn’t have like a C, like good symbols for my chemical engineering so these guys now advised me to do like a chemical analysis.” –Lydia Masinek
“…you can’t do anything without school. Some places have higher requirements, it depends on the kind of shop.” –Solani Ntombizawo
Experience level and employment qualifications:
“I started doing domestic work because it is the easiest job to get if you are not educated…” –Lydia Masinek
Youth unemployment:
“Another thing with the kids when they get to like Standard 9 you realize that they want to taste everything that is happening around the world. You realize then that during that time they take advantage like their school has extended hours when they should work or have extra classes they want to go friends they want to go to parties.” –Jillian Smile
Family and cultural responsibilities:
“No I didn’t finish all the courses. That year when I was studying I fell pregnant. So but I finished that year, then I couldn’t go back. Because I had to work for the child. So I only did that year and never went back.” –Lydia Masinek
“So my mother was suffering because my father was passed away. So my mother told us one of you, it was so difficult for my mother, so my mother told us one of us needed to leave.” –Nokuzola Willie
Equality among employment opportunities.
“I think there are a lot of people who don’t work here in Khy. More women don’t have a job. Men it is better they have got a job.” –Nokuzola Willie
