Grand-Pa in association with YouthLab announced the first batch of their Spaza-Shop academy winners in Soweto this past week.
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20 small business owners and entrepreneurs, convened in Kopanong Hall, Dobsonville, to pitch their business ideas throughout the week in hopes of walking away with funding for their ventures.
The purpose of the academy is to empower small business owners with the necessary skills to run a thriving and profitable business.
“The reason why we choose businesses in townships is because our people really need to be given the confidence to continue doing what they are doing but it is also to help them create a network of businesses so they can help and work with each other.
“We believe that these people have the opportunity to curb unemployment in our country as we know small businesses are the only hope that we have with regards to unemployment, so if we can assist in ensuring their businesses grow, then that means people will have jobs,” stated Mangaka Letsobe, project manager for Grand-pa academy at YouthLab.
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YouthLab which facilitates the workshops has empowered over 1400 Gauteng-based spaza shop owners since the academy’s inception in 2013.
“This is money they can use for their business needs, as we know the struggle of SMMEs with funding, access to resources and information, competition especially those operating in the townships,” she said.
“We are planning on expanding the academy in the new year where we will be moving towards a younger market because we want to empower and engage with more businesses that are ran by the youth,” Letsobe concluded.
One of the winners for the day was 32-year-old Lerato Kulati, who won second prize of 15 000 towards her business.
Kulati, is a former ex-convict and recovering addict who runs a car wash she started in 2021 currently employs over eight young people.
“The idea came from seeing the rise of substance abuse and crime in my community so this was to keep them busy afterschool and teach them responsibility,” she recounted.
“We recently found an open space where we can fully operate so the money will go towards purchasing equipment vacuum cleaners, pressure pump gun and gazebo so we can become more efficient.”
Kulati said she was thankful to the academy for embracing her despite her history. She began using heroin, rock infused with cocaine and alcohol. Her drug addiction got wrapped in crime and gangsterism and led to her arrest on two separate occasions.
“I am grateful that I was given a fair chance like anyone in the room. This has given me the courage and I will make sure that the business thrives.
“The workshops were valuable and I can take the same information back to my community and empower more young people who also want to start their own businesses,” said the mother of one.
Other winners from the Soweto cohort were Nompumelelo Gabela winning the first cash prize of R20 000, Lebohang Nkatlo won the third-place cash prize of R10 000, and Siyasanga Sipholisi the fourth place cash prize of R5000.
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