JOIN members collaborate in uNowanga project

St John South Africa and the Johanniter Order enable young South Africans to participate in a fully funded and practical healthcare program in Germany. The uNowanga project was launched in South Africa in April 2019 with the aim to address the high youth unemployment rate in South Africa, while offering a solution for the growing need for caregivers and nurses in Germany.

The premise of the program is to prepare South African youth aged from 18 to 29 who are passionate about nursing for an apprenticeship in Germany. The preparation takes place in South Africa over a 12-month period where the participants are trained in German, work-readiness and in basic caregiving. Once they have completed this year, they are placed in a three-year paid apprenticeship in Germany which, upon completion, will equip them with a nursing degree and the opportunity for a better future.

The first group of participants will fly out in May 2020 to embark on the next step of the program in Germany. It has been a year of growth and development for those who have made it through the first 12 months, who will continue their way with great pride and excitement. After completing the three-year apprenticeship, they will have a choice to return to South Africa or stay in Germany depending on where they wish to continue their career. Either way, the project makes a tangible difference in the lives of the young people, the people they will be caring for and ultimately the situation in South Africa and Germany.

The second contingent of uNowanga participants will begin their initial 12-month preparation period on 1st August 2020.

For more information, please go to www.unowanga.com or visit the Facebook page.