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 Opening in January 2008, the Gateway School of Fashion is run in association with UK designer Karen Millen OBE, the University for Creative Arts in the UK, and HOPE HIV.
Through training and developing students in the creative and practical skills of fashion design, as well as lifeskills and basic computer literacy, the project aims to empower young people affected by HIV/AIDS to build sustainable lives for themselves and their families.
 Twenty two applicants with potential and talent were selected to become Project Gateway's first Fashion School students. The school invests in the students with training, personal mentoring and support with practicalities such as accommodation. The Fashion School derives its curriculum content from the University for Creative Arts in the UK. However, the project is tailored specifically to match the challenges of sustainable
personal development in South Africa.
 An area on the existing (listed historical) Project Gateway site was chosen as the physical home of the school. Once again Project Gateway's international links proved invaluable; a team of volunteers from the UK helped with the initial site clearance, leaving the way open for the building and development of the fashion school, and the housing of the variety of technical equipment needed.
Karen Millen, although from a different cultural context, has had a story of growth from small beginnings. Starting with just £100, creativity and dedication developed the brand to be part of a company which now spans 29 countries.
It is this same potential we want to utilise to help those who most need it here in South Africa.
 As Gateway's latest project, this is an exciting venture for us, with promising associations with institutions and individuals worldwide. Even so, the pattern of our work here remains unchanged, and the Gateway School of Fashion, in association with Karen Millen, U.C.A and Hope HIV, has its purposes rooted in the same sustainable development and investment in people as Gateway's other projects.
We are indebted to HopeHIV, Karen Millen and the University for Creative Arts in the UK for their help.
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