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Salesian Institute Youth Projects equips young people with the skills, confidence and practical experience to create their own opportunities.
When doors to further education and employment fail to open, what happens next can shape a young person’s future. For Aasheka Snell and Logan Brukman, the answer was to create opportunities of their own.
Both young women from Cape Town have turned their entrepreneurial ambitions into growing businesses after completing the New Venture Creation Programme offered by Salesian Institute Youth Projects (SIYP), showing how the right support, practical skills and determination can change lives.
At just 21, Aasheka Snell from Kalksteenfontein transformed her childhood passion for hair styling and braiding into a professional hair and beauty business. After joining SIYP’s programme in 2025, she gained business management skills and practical industry experience through workplace training at a well-known salon chain.
Today, Aasheka has a growing base of regular clients and increasingly conducts house calls to meet demand. In July 2026, she received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Rotary Club of Waterfront, together with financial support that she used to purchase additional salon equipment. She is now saving towards larger premises, with the goal of employing others and growing her business.
Logan Brukman’s journey began with disappointment after she was unsuccessful in gaining acceptance into the tertiary courses she had applied for. Rather than give up, she embraced SIYP’s entrepreneurship programme and graduated as the top achiever in her New Venture Creation NQF Level 4 class.
After securing a job in financial services, Logan saved part of her income and completed additional beauty therapy and lash extension training. She then launched Lashes by Logan, operating from her grandparents’ home. Her business continues to grow, and she is exploring larger premises. In 2025, she also received the Rotary Club of Waterfront’s
Entrepreneur of the Year Award, with financial support to invest in additional equipment.
Commenting on the importance of supporting young entrepreneurs, Mymoena Ismail of the Rotary Club of Waterfront, who is working alongside SIYP on its digital transformation journey, said:
“What makes Aasheka and Logan’s journeys so inspiring is that they did not allow limited opportunities to define their futures. They took what they had learned, believed in their abilities and dared to turn their ideas into businesses. At the Rotary Club of Waterfront, we believe that recognising potential must go hand in hand with creating opportunities. By investing in young entrepreneurs, we are not only supporting individuals to become financially independent, but also encouraging the creation of jobs, strengthening families and contributing to our local economy. We are proud to recognise their achievements and look forward to seeing how their businesses grow.”
Their achievements reflect the purpose of SIYP’s New Venture Creation Programme, which supports young people aged 18 to 28 who are not in employment, education or training. Over 12 months, participants develop life skills, confidence, accredited entrepreneurship skills, financial literacy and workplace experience, helping them pursue employment, further training or self-employment.
“Young people should not be defined by the opportunities they have missed, but by what they can achieve when someone gives them a chance. We want them to recognise their own potential, develop practical skills and understand that they can build a future, even when the traditional routes into employment are closed to them. Aasheka and Logan showed what is possible when determination meets the right support,” says Gabriel Hamuy, Project Manager.
For SIYP, success is about more than securing a job or starting a business. It is about helping young people build confidence, become financially independent and create opportunities that can benefit their families and communities.
Aasheka and Logan’s stories are a reminder that a young person’s background need not determine their future. With access to skills, guidance and opportunity, they can become not only job seekers, but job creators.
For young people aged 18 to 28 who are not currently in employment, education or training and are looking for a chance to build a better future, Salesian Institute Youth Projects offers a pathway to new possibilities. To find out more about its programmes and available opportunities, contact SIYP through the details listed below.
For media enquiries, partnerships or further information, please contact:
https://salesianyouth.org/ or email info@salesianyouth.org.za or telephone on 021 – 425 1450.
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www.youtube.com/@salesianinstitute5445
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Salesian Youth – Educating and empowering at-risk children and youth