Skills Center

Building a

compassionate

community

Serenity Hills is part of a larger story of community upliftment that dates back to 2015 - with the establishment of Sweetdale Skills Center.

Founded by the Wenger family together with International donors, the Skills Center is committed to improving the lives of those around them in a meaningful and sustainable way by providing disadvantaged youth, women and disabled people on the KZN South Coast with employable skills. Students receive expert instruction from experienced trainers in a variety of skills including, painting, carpentry, boilermaking, landscaping, restoration, cooking and in hospitality.

The Skills Center is also developing and coaching emerging entrepreneurs in communities to promote self-sustainability and sustainable job creation.

SERENITY HILLS

Home trained artisans

The Skills Center consists of various workshops, dorm facilities, classrooms and outstanding communal areas – a place to feel safe and share the act of kindness. As part of practical training for qualified artisans, the Skills Center provides services to Serenity Hills. Through this partnership, homeowners have the benefit of hiring these talented individuals for:

Gardening and landscaping
Carpentry
Maintenance
Housekeeping and hospitality

THE PACKSHED RESTAURANT

Practical hospitality training

The community upliftment doesn’t end there. The award-winning restaurant, The Packshed, is another of the Wenger family’s initiatives being incorporated into the Serenity Hills eco-estate. Besides providing world-class fusion food, The Packshed forms part of the Skills Center, providing practical experience for chefs- and waiters-in-training.

Increased access to education with mobility

SWEETBIKE

Beyond this, the Wenger family has established the impactful Sweetbike Community Project which provides disadvantaged schoolchildren with refurbished bikes so that they can get to and from school easier. With limited transportation, and vast distances in accessing schools in rural locations, many children are forced to walk hours to access education – leading to a higher dropout rate and increased safety risks for children. Sweetbike sources pre-owned quality bikes from Europe, with the mechanic team at Sweetbike Workshop – also part of the Skills Center – then refurbishing the bikes for donation to pupils.

Serenity Hills has been developed around this same concept of sustainability and community upliftment. When people buy into the estate, they can benefit from the homegrown talent while knowing they are supporting local skills development. It’s not just about buying a house; it’s about buying into a compassionate community.