South Africa’s Social Employment Fund (SEF) addresses unemployment by enabling local organizations to create publicly-funded jobs that meet community needs and promote the common good. Initiatives include urban food gardens, safety patrols, early childhood development, public art, educational support, legal aid for gender violence victims, re-wilding urban rivers, and providing GPS addresses in informal settlements. Participants work 16 hours a week at the national minimum wage. SEF leverages digital reporting and a hub-and-spoke model to enhance local capacity and partnerships, involving Strategic Implementing Partners and community organizations. SEF also fosters peer learning through the Social Employment Network.
The SEF offers unemployed individuals not just income, but also access to networks, social interaction, information, skills, a sense of purpose, and self-esteem. The project has significantly impacted community needs in areas such as health, education, gender-based violence, food security, greening and cleaning, and place-making.