The South African College for Tourism (SACT) is a game-changing women’s empowerment initiative and a not-for-profit organization based in Graaff-Reinet, that was founded by Dr Anton and Gaynor Rupert in 2001, in partnership with international agencies and public donors. Their aim? To train young women from underprivileged backgrounds in a year-long tourism course. The college’s phenomenal success is that it has succeeded in training more than 1 200 graduates since its inception, all of whom have received critical on-the-job skills training that will enable them to work in hotels, lodges or guesthouses.
Futhermore, the Drostdy Hotel, also owned by the Rupert family, commits to 30 internship positions every year, meaning that by virtue of staying here our guests are contributing to their training with constructive feedback and encouragement, as well as financially, as all profits are ploughed straight back into SACT. As a direct result of a recent women’s empowerment trip where the SACT was part of the itinerary, the SACT has been awarded an enormous grant from a U.S.A foundation.
