Root
Root by House of Amani
Where potential
finds its foundation.
A 12-week programme that turns ambition into employability, and small businesses into scalable ones — at no cost to the people who need it most.
Weeks
Youth unemployment
Always, for youth
Work experience
Why Root exists
South Africa does not have a talent shortage.
It has a preparation gap.
4.8 million young South Africans are unemployed. 58.7% of them have never had a single job. Not because they are not capable — but because no one ever taught them how to walk into a room and prove it. Root changes that.
The programme
Twelve weeks. Real skills. Real work. Real results.
Root is not a workshop, a webinar series, or a certificate programme. It is a structured, facilitated development ecosystem built on three things most youth programmes skip: real workplace exposure, honest feedback, and a tangible portfolio of work that proves what you can do.
Every trainee leaves with a recruiter-ready CV, an optimised LinkedIn profile, a professional reference from a real business, and the confidence that only comes from having done the work — not just watched someone else do it.
Your 12-week journey
Who Root is for
Three ways to be part of Root
Whether you are looking for your first opportunity, ready to grow your business, or looking to invest in South Africa's next generation — there is a place for you here.
You are ready. You just need the room.
For unemployed youth aged 18–35 who have ability, ambition, and potential — but have not yet had access to the professional development that translates those things into employment.
- Completely free — always
- 12 weeks of facilitated training
- Real workplace placement from Week 5
- CV, LinkedIn & portfolio included
- Formal reference letter on graduation
You have built something real. Let us help you scale it.
For early-stage micro-enterprises with proof of demand but without the strategic, operational, and financial infrastructure to grow sustainably. We work with the business you actually have.
- 12-week structured business coaching
- Strategy, systems, marketing & finance
- A skilled volunteer trainee from Week 5
- SOP, pricing model & brand voice guide
- Investment-ready business pitch by Week 12
Your investment goes further here than anywhere else.
For companies, corporates, and institutions that want to invest in skills development and enterprise support with measurable, documented outcomes — not just good intentions.
- Verified B-BBEE CSI spend recognition
- Named sponsorship & media coverage
- Talent pipeline access post-programme
- Quarterly impact reports with real data
- Enterprise development spend alignment
The Root ecosystem
Everyone grows together
Root is not a one-directional transfer of knowledge. It is a living ecosystem where trainees, entrepreneurs, and facilitators develop simultaneously — each contributing to the other's growth.
Every role in the ecosystem is designed to give and receive value simultaneously. Nothing here is charity. Everything here is exchange.
Why this matters right now
The data behind every decision Root makes
Youth unemployment, ages 15–24
South Africa Q4 2025
Of bad hires fail due to soft skills —
not technical gaps
Of South African SMMEs close
within 3–5 years
Pilot cohort now open.
Be part of what gets built first.
Applications open
You have been waiting
for the right opening.
This is it. The application takes less than 10 minutes. If you are selected, you will receive a personal phone call — not a form email. Because you deserve more than that.
Apply for Root NowSkills to Income is free. Enterprise in Residence applications are also open. Questions? Contact us directly.