The Sozo Foundation Trust

The Sozo Foundation is on a mission to see the youth of Vrygrond equipped and empowered to live with dignity, purpose and hope. Sozo creates pathways to employment through the focus areas of Education, Skills Development and Social Enterprise. Founders Anton and Elana Cuyler established The Sozo Foundation in 2011 by beginning a tutoring programme for a handful of vulnerable youth at the Vrygrond Community Library. Eleven years later, the Foundation has grown to an annual budget of over 11 million rands and 51 staff members, with 71% of staff being from the community of Vrygrond itself. Sozo's interventions address the high levels of school drop-out, unemployment and limited economic opportunities. Sozo runs three programmes: an After-School Education Centre (EduCentre) for high school youth, a Youth Café skills development project for unemployed youth and three Social Enterprises. These programmes provide youth with advanced training apprenticeships, employment and work ...