May 7, 2025
The Hands On Foundation is a non-profit initiative launched by the Berman Brothers Group, built on a singular belief — that every child deserves the opportunity to discover what they’re good at and build a future around it.
In South Africa, there’s a significant gap between the demand for skilled trades and the opportunities available to students to pursue them. The HandsOn Foundation exists to bridge that divide by integrating technical and engineering faculties into mainstream schools, offering students both academic and practical pathways to success.
Our journey began in 2018, with the transformation of the Engineering & Design Faculty at Wynberg Boys High School in Cape Town. This pioneering facility equips students with hands-on experience in engineering, electronics, graphic design, construction, and digital technologies — all within a traditional academic setting.
This model doesn’t separate students into "technical" or "academic" — it unifies them. And it gives those with practical talents the chance to thrive in a mainstream environment, alongside full cultural and extracurricular support.
“Each child is good at something... and it’s our responsibility to help them find it.” — Saul Berman
Since 1994, technical subjects like woodwork and metalwork were removed from the curriculums of many mainstream schools. As a result, countless students who are naturally gifted with their hands have been left without an outlet or worse, isolated within stigmatized technical institutions.
The Hands On Foundation challenges that status quo by offering a new educational stream that combines technical subjects with core academics like maths and science, we prepare students to:
- Enter trades
- Pursue careers in architecture, engineering, and construction
- Create their own businesses
- And contribute directly to South Africa’s economic growth
“I’ve learned everything — from counting screws to reinforcing concrete. Now, I’m applying to UCT to study construction management and one day run my own company.” — Wynberg Boys Matric Student
The Hands On Foundation is now partnering with LEAP Schools to expand its reach into areas like Crossroads, Langa, and Philippi with plans to scale across the country. Our goal? To integrate engineering and design faculties into as many schools public and private schools as possible because when we empower students with skills, we empower communities. And when we give them hope, we build a stronger South Africa.
Whether you're an educator, a business, or an individual who believes in the power of education, we invite you to partner with us.
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Together, we’re not just building skills — We Are Building Futures.
