Eskom encourages young school entrepreneurs
NORTHGATE- Eskom Development Foundation is grooming future business people one school at a time.
Eskom Development Foundation is giving South African schools business opportunities to show their entrepreneurial skills through the Simama Ranta High School Competition.
Business Opportunities and Franchise Expo which is held at the Dome from 11 to14 September, does not focus on small business only but also on young entrepreneurs who are still at school.
One of the Gauteng finalists in the Eskom’s high school competition, is Residensia Secondary School.
Alice Ntsapo, a Grade 10 pupil at Residensia, said they learned a lot through the competition. “We knit scarves and sell them to make money,” said Ntsapo.
Finalists of the competition displayed some of their products at the Bofe which is held at the Dome in Northgate.
Bangani High School from KwaZulu-Natal, Giyani from Limpopo are of the schools that were also finalists in the Simama Ranta High School competition that were announced this month.
Also, small businesses from different areas in the country exhibited their services and products.
Ann Chernenkova of Bordeaux, who is also a regional consultant at Cambridge Weight Plan, says she started selling these products a year ago and this year she became full-time and she is making double the income she was making last year.
“Last year, I was selling the products part-time and making between R10 000 and R15 000 a month. Now I am making double that income and it has helped me to be financially independent,” says Chernenkova.
Nomthandazo Dube of Piet Retief, said Eskom has given them the platform to display their services.
“Eskom invited me to the expo and to market my business among other big companies. It feels so great to be here at the Dome and show what my laundry service can do. I started in 2008 after Matric. The Eskom programme has helped me to market my business and learn about managing my business. Today, I have Hope Laundry which services my community in Piet Retief,” explains Dube.
Zahier Davids of Flywheel, which is based in Cape Town, said he opened this business in 2000 after he was retrenched.
