Empowering Entrepreneurs with Grootbos Foundation Mentorship

Exciting update from our Entrepreneurship Programme and Enterprise Development at Grootbos Foundation!

Meet Kholiswa, a trailblazer who recently opened one of the first spaza shops in New Rest, Masakhane. With determination and hard work, she saved up to build a standalone shop, freeing herself from running her business out of her home. Thanks to our support, Kholiswa used her second round of seed funding to install shelving for her new shop, skillfully crafted by a local carpenter. Her ambitions don't stop there - she's now gearing up to introduce takeaway meals to her growing repertoire. Watch out world, Kholiswa is on the rise! 

This is Sizwe, a driven small business owner under the mentorship of our Entrepreneurship team. He's ecstatic about his second small grant instalment, which he wisely invested in purchasing a jack, tools, and a 219-piece socket set. Serving clients from Onrus to the Hemel en Aarde Valley, Sizwe offers mechanic services with a callout fee. What's even more impressive? His old tools now support his employees in handling local jobs in Zwelihle, allowing his business to thrive in two areas simultaneously. Kudos to Sizwe for his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication! 

This is Wendy, from Marikana in Zwelihle, a small business owner benefiting from our seed funding and mentorship. She specializes in making custom Traditional Wedding Dresses and currently has orders for 11 dresses, along with an order for 25 church uniforms. With guidance from our mentors, Wendy now asks for a deposit upfront and ensures the full payment before completing each garment. This simple change has improved her cash flow and made her business more stable. Well done, Wendy - your hard work and smart decisions are truly inspiring! 

Images below: Wendy, is simply delighted with her industrial sewing machine purchased with her small grant from the Grootbos Foundation.

Another way to help small businesses is by pairing them up for peer mentorship, which means connecting them with other local entrepreneurs who can share advice and support. Recently, Louisa and Kholiswa, two business owners, got together to talk about their experiences and challenges. During their chat, Louisa showed Kholiswa how using a Flash Machine to sell electricity can be helpful, while Kholiswa taught Louisa how to handle a 'Cash back' sale. By offering these extra services, they not only make their customers happier but also grow their businesses beyond just selling airtime. It's all about working together and learning from each other!

Our Business Mentorship team is helping the head teachers of three Masakhane Early Childhood Centres to handle their money effectively. This will help them qualify for public funding from the Department of Education, which requires good money habits and keeping good records. Learning to balance petty cash and keep track of receipts is an important money skill that these ECD teachers are eager to learn. We're impressed by their excitement to gain these useful skills, which will empower both the teachers and the centres they work in.