The townships of South Africa are relics of the apartheid regime. The effects of neglect in the past are reflected, among others, in the lack of resources, infrastructure and in the high unemployment. In the face of these challenges, entrepreneurship is seen as a key factor for the creation of jobs and economic growth.
The Cav' Townships project aimed to address youth unemployment and income generation in the creative industry through entrepreneurship. The objective of the project was to develop and then implement formats for the development of professional perspectives in the creative space. The main focus was on supporting the generation of income, be it through independent, entrepreneurial activities or through the expansion and transfer of competences in order to help young people in finding employment.
In partnership with well-established township hubs, the project conceptualized interventions for promoting the creative industry to access new markets and provide support to the cultural and creative infrastructure of townships.
The project was aimed at youth aged 18 to 35 involved in the creative industry in townships, particularly women and establishments and initiatives that are involved in this creative industry.
The project Cultural and Creative Industries was jointly implemented from late 2018 until early 2023 by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Goethe-Institut on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It improved employment and income opportunities for creative professionals in six partner countries: Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa. The project operated mainly in the music, fashion, design and animation sectors. In addition to promoting the development of entrepreneurial, digital, creative and technical skills through training programmes, the project aimed to strengthen the framework conditions and the ecosystem of the cultural and creative industries.