Two DJs from Voorbrug in Delft known as 410 DJZ were given a full set of DJ equipment to fuel their music career and generate an income, thanks to Nicro (National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders).
The handover took place yesterday at the Don Bosco Training Centre in Leiden where Trazaid Pienaar, 19, and Lorick Thompson, 19, a.k.a 410 DJZ participated in Nicro’s Employment Opportunity Programme which offers information and promotes soft skills such as design and business development.
Area manager for Nicro, Sonia Solomon, says the coaching was free of charge.
“We had to identify a community with high crime rates that would benefit from capacity building. We did coaching and an economic opportunity programme with community based organisations by teaching them how to generate income in an informal way.
“These young men were part of the participants and they had to identify an income generating project and that is where they came up with the idea of the sound equipment so that they can host events and showcase talent in the community and show the youth there are alternatives to crime and violence and be positive role models.”
Solomon says that Nicro purchased the music equipment with the support of the Department of Social Development who gave funding for the project.
The group had to attend a three day training course on how to start up your own business, how to write a business proposal and market yourself.
An excited Trazaid and Lorick who started 410 DJZ in 2022 says: “We are very excited and overwhelmed to finally have our own equipment, we always had to borrow from our friends for gigs or use the venue’s equipment when we got booked. We feel optimistic about the future and appreciative for the support from Nicro for believing in us.”
marsha.dean@inl.co.za