I am particularly passionate about making a difference in South Africa and the best place to put ones efforts is into education. Kay Mhlakaza has a similar passion and I was delighted to discover that she has collaborated with the NPO Love to Give in Kayamandi, and is working with youngsters in the area to skill them up so that they are more employable. See pics of the tasting training below. I joined Kay and her group of 12 for a wine tasting history and tasting session recently. The program offers the youth an opportunity to work at Amazink Restaurant & Venue in Kayamandi and then at the end of the 2 week period of work experience, they have a 4-hour session in wine tasting as well, in order to expose them to the different cultivars and types of wine in South Africa. As can be expected, most of the group liked the sweeter wines, but a few of them managed to distinguish a few other flavours and aromas and they liked the Spice Grinder Pinotage quite a bit! Kay is a training specialist in the Hospitality, Tourism, Food and Wine Industry, with a bachelors degree in hospitality management at Granger Bay Hotel School under Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) obtained in 2007. She is currently the Front of House Manager at the Oude Werf in Stellenbosch and also the founder of KayNisha Wine Lounge. (watch this space) If anyone is keen to assist Kay with presenting wines or providing wines for her training sessions, she needs only 7 wines per month: a sauvignon blanc, chenin, chardonnay and then pinotage, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, as well as a bubbly. Please contact Kay on kaymhlakaza3@gmail.com and learn more about the program and her passion by watching our video HERE