Empowering Women with Disabilities: Ground-Breaking Beadwork Training Programme Transforms Lives at APD Free State

APD Free State Partners with NCPD and Gender Links to Launch Innovative Skills Development Initiative at Kopano Skills Workshop

Programme equips young women with disabilities with essential crafting skills, fostering independence and economic empowerment through creative expression.

BLOEMFONTEIN, FREE STATE – The Association of and for Persons with Disabilities (APD) in the Free State has completed a transformative three-month beadwork training programme for women with disabilities, delivered in partnership with the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) and sponsored by Gender Links through its Enabled Womxn Arise Disability Gender-Based Violence Programme.

The pioneering initiative, which ran from April 2 to June 30, 2025, at the Kopano Skills Workshop under APD Free State in Bloemfontein, represents a significant milestone in disability empowerment and skills development across the Free State province. The programme specifically targeted young women with intellectual and physical disabilities, providing them with essential crafting skills whilst fostering creativity, independence, and economic opportunities.

Bridging the Gap Between Education and Employment

Kopano Skills Workshop, a project of APD Free State, serves as a vital bridge for adults with disabilities who have completed their education at special needs schools but face barriers to accessing further education or open employment. The centre provides structured daily programmes for individuals who require continuous supervision and developmental support to live meaningful, inclusive lives.

“This beadwork training programme exemplifies our commitment to creating sustainable pathways for persons with disabilities to develop practical skills that can translate into economic opportunities,” said Tinashe Rubaba, Development Consultant at NCPD, who facilitated the crucial funding from Gender Links. “Through strategic partnerships like this one with APD Free State and Gender Links, we’re not just providing training—we’re investing in the dignity, independence, and future prosperity of young women with disabilities who have historically been marginalised from economic participation.”

Comprehensive Skills Development Approach

The programme adopted a holistic approach to skills development, focusing on multiple competency areas that extend far beyond basic crafting techniques. Participants developed crucial cognitive skills, including pattern recognition, colour coordination, and following step-by-step instructions. The training also enhanced fine motor skills through bead handling, threading, and tool manipulation, while encouraging creativity and self-expression through original jewellery design.

Equally important were the social and emotional benefits, with participants building confidence, patience, and a sense of achievement through completing projects. The programme’s design recognised the diverse needs of participants, including those with mild to severe intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and physical impairments such as hemiplegia.

Adaptive Teaching Methods Yield Outstanding Results

The APD Free State-driven training programme’s success stemmed from its adaptive teaching methodology, which utilised visual schedules, colour-coded materials, and hands-on demonstrations. Small group settings and individual attention proved remarkably effective, with participants responding positively to the supportive learning environment.

Nthabiseng Molongoane, Director at APD Free State, emphasised the programme’s impact on participants’ overall well-being: “We’ve witnessed remarkable transformations in our participants’ confidence levels and sense of purpose. This programme has demonstrated that with appropriate support and adaptive teaching methods, young women with disabilities can master complex skills and create beautiful, meaningful work. The beadwork training has not only equipped them with practical abilities but has also fostered a profound sense of accomplishment and self-worth.”

Participant Voices: Stories of Transformation

The programme’s impact is perhaps best captured through the testimonials of its participants. One trainee shared, “Group work sessions about beadwork helped me learn. I can make beads.” Another participant noted, “I can make them by myself, and they are easy to create,” highlighting the programme’s success in building independent capabilities.

The collaborative nature of the training was particularly valued, with participants appreciating opportunities to “work together as participants.” Many expressed enthusiasm for continuing their beadwork journey, with one trainee commenting, “I will keep on making beads, even more of them,” whilst another stated, “I will make beadwork even in the future and teach others.”

 

Sustainable Impact and Future Prospects

This collaboration demonstrates the transformative power of NCPD’s strategic alliance with Gender Links, whose Enabled Womxn Arise programme specifically addresses the intersection of disability and gender-based violence through skills empowerment. As an ally organisation of NCPD, APD Free State benefits from access to innovative funding opportunities and evidence-based programming that might otherwise remain beyond reach for provincial disability organisations.

The partnership model illustrates how NCPD’s national reach and established relationships with international funders, such as Global Affairs Canada and GenderLinks, can amplify the impact of grassroots organisations. APD Free State gains credibility, resources, and technical expertise through this alliance, while NCPD extends its programmatic reach to communities where direct implementation might prove challenging.

This strategic collaboration ensures that GenderLink’s investment in disability empowerment creates ripple effects across multiple organisational levels and establishes a sustainable framework for future initiatives. The success of this beadwork programme positions both NCPD and APD Free State to secure additional funding streams while demonstrating the effectiveness of multi-tiered partnership approaches in addressing complex social challenges affecting young women with disabilities.

“Women with disabilities face a double burden of discrimination, which makes them particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence and economic marginalisation,” concludes Rubaba. “This funding from Gender Links represents more than just skills training—it’s part of our broader GBV prevention strategy. Through our ongoing collaboration with Gender Links, we’ve learnt that economic empowerment and skill development are powerful tools for breaking the cycle of dependency and vulnerability, which often leads to abuse. “When women with disabilities can create, earn, and contribute economically, they gain agency and voice, which fundamentally shifts power dynamics in their favour.”