The open field of Unity College was abuzz with excitement as learners set up their stalls for the school’s annual Market Day on October 23.
Following their yearly tradition of getting the intermediate and senior learners at the school to sell various items, the school hosted the day to teach the learners what goes into running a business.
Homemade bags, toys, lotions, sweets and savoury meals were on offer to all who came to the market.
Shadreck Chidakwa, facilitator of the day’s events and teacher in charge of work experience, said the day was about helping the senior learners get awareness and exposure to business opportunities.
“Even though our kids are special needs, it should not stop them from being in business. We’ve seen that first time job opportunities are easy to get, but holding onto them is another story.
“We have two programmes we run. The first is work experience where they are exposed to the work environment so that it is not a foreign environment. The second is doing your own thing in a business, be it crafting or baking,” he said.
The learners, with assistance from their parents, chose a business idea to pursue and provided capital for their items.
“In assisting them today with the Market Day, we may open doors. Some may say they are hoping to go the job route or go the project route. We want to expose them to all the activities they can do to sustain their lives.”
He told Fourways Review that the profit made by the learners’ sales would be paid back in cash as coupons were the currency of the day, and 10% of the profit would go to the school.
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