Vodacom NXT LVL boosts four youth side businesses with R20 000 each
MIDRAND — Vodacom awarded R20 000 each to the four young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 25 for their business through the Cash Booster competition.
Due to the high youth unemployment rate in South Africa, mobile communication company Vodacom recognised that what young people actually need is funding and opportunities.
On March 18, Noorwyk-based Vodacom World conducted the handovers of the Cash Booster prizes for the four young South African entrepreneurs who won the Vodacom NXT LVL Business Cash Booster competition.
The competition is part of the Vodacom Unlock Summer campaign and it aims to boost young entrepreneurs’ ‘side hustle’ business with tools to ensure that their business grows and flourishes in the future.
Vodacom awarded R20 000 each to the four young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 25 for their business through the Cash Booster competition. Among the four winners, who received their money checks at handover, are Thembi Sesing, Paballo Phetlho, Silo Ndlovu, and Chanté Labuschagne.
Phetlho stocks fragrances in bulk and sells them to other young sales agencies and entrepreneurs. “I participated in the Vodacom LVL to boost my small business, as we are predominantly a small business that has been struggling to receive large injections like this for the past two years.”
Sesing said with a smile she thought it was a scam when Vodacom reached out to tell her she won the money. “I thought it was one of those Vodacom messages.
“As a person from a township, one is not necessarily eager to receive something for which they didn’t work hard. I am so thankful to Vodacom for opening such huge doors for our business.”
The money can be used to purchase resources, provide marketing support, provide employment assistance, and stimulate business awareness.
In her remarks, Chanté Labuschagne expressed her gratitude toward Vodacom for giving youth such opportunities.
For the competition, competitors had to fulfil four requirements – registering their business on Vodacom net, enrolling for the next level, opting in for the summer campaign, and submitting a WhatsApp video motivation explaining why they needed funds.
“This is a relief for me because I had no funding at all for my business,” said Ndlovu.
“Surely with this money, we will get to market ourselves very well, buy more gardening material which will enable us to create more job opportunities for youth.”
Among the other winners of the Unlock Summer initiative was Neo Masopoga who received a car. Letlhogonolo Pitsoane, Mbuso Khoza, and Tshepang Mokoena were among those who received scooters.
