195 businesswomen graduate from PwC’s Faranani Rural Women Training Initiative

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) joined forces with the Business Skills for South Africa (BSSA) foundation to bring PwC’s Faranani Rural Women Training initiative to life in 2006.

To date, 4104 women across all nine provinces excluding the Northern Cape have graduated from the programme.

On June 14, another 195 women graduated from the Initiative at PwC’s Waterfall offices in Midrand.

Through the programme, women are equipped with practical business skills that provide them with the necessary know-how to advance their informal businesses to SMME status.

One of the graduates, Nthatisi Makotoko, believes part of creating a successful business is ensuring it can evolve.

Makotoko started a marketing company in 2009, but it was not long after that she was faced with struggles due to routine load-shedding.

After finding a solution for her business, she decided to expand her company’s service offering to supply backup power solutions for homes and small businesses— an idea that took off well in 2017.

The need for backup power solutions has only intensified in recent years, which recently led Matlhoko to look for ways to grow her business more sustainably.

“A good friend recommended PwC’s Faranani Rural Women Training Initiative,” said Matlhoko.

“It was a tremendous experience for me as I now look at the future of my business differently and am more focused on planning for the future.”

PwC annually contributes R2.4m to BSSA, of which R1.2m is spent on Faranani.

The name ‘Faranani’, means working together or teamwork and through the programme, women are able to do this in a way that fosters meaningful connections.

“Completing the course was one of the most beneficial things I could have done for my business this year. I learned how to implement proper structures within it, and perform certain operations properly,” added Matlhoko.

“The business has a good foundation, but now I am better equipped to run things properly, do future projections, and know when to reinvest in the operation.”

PwC SA CEO, and Faranani Initiative national director, Shirley Machaba said they continue to see more women benefiting from the initiative.

“What is encouraging about this year’s cohort of graduating businesswomen is that they are venturing into more diverse industries. This is a positive move as the demands of our industry are constantly evolving,” said Machaba.

“We are proud to share that more than 70% of women who have completed this programme have increased profitability in their businesses.”

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