The Ignite Africa Organisation, hosted a business start-up seminar to motivate the youth at Northcliff Country Club on 25 July.
Of the 50 people, 11 of them were youth from Zandspruit Informal settlement and who say that they are tired of the cycle of poverty and want to change their lives.
According to Ignite Africa, an non-governmental-organisation based in Sundowner, “The seminar was aimed at creating thoughtful entrepreneurs who understand the African business economy, how to venture into the right business for themselves. It also seeks to teach entrepreneurs how to acquire funding in Africa, using advanced communication technologies to better business growth and, most of all, how to be successful entrepreneurs.”
Founding editor of Forbes Africa magazine Chris Bishop, entrepreneur Allegro Dinkwanyane and motivational speaker Bathabile Magethi were the speakers of the day.
Dinkwanyane (25) shared her journey into entrepreneurship and told the audience that her nine-five- job at a well-established company became a bore and she needed something to fulfil her love for media. Out of the boredom, Orgella Media was born.
“We need to decide what we want from our lives and go ahead and do it. Even if you don’t have enough funds, believe in your brand. A business can make it in a year, depending on how good your idea is,” Dinkwanyane said.
Bishop, who resides in Northcliff, encouraged the youth to look at problems on the African continent and start businesses that will solve them.
“Starting a business is the new ‘rock ‘n roll’ in Africa. People will laugh at you when you tell them what you want to do. Take that negative energy and use it as your driving force to succeed. One thing this job has taught me is that opportunities are falling off the wall – so there is so much to do. You just have to decide,” Bishop advised.
Motivational speaker and owner of Purposefully Branded, Bathabile Magethi, a resident in Muldersdrift, encouraged the youth to start businesses that are in line with their purpose.
“We all have something we were born to do. You are not only good at it but when you act on it, everything falls in place. That’s your purpose in life. Follow it,” Magethi advised the youth.
One of the youth said she was motivated to think critically before embarking on the business journey.
“I have been to seminars like this one before, but I have never been so inspired before. I actually know what I want in life and where to go. I now have so many ideas, I am super empowered,” said Dintle Busang, one of the 11 Zandspruit Informal Settlement youths at the seminar.
