IN PICTURES: SAB boosts 21 young entrepreneurs
BRYANSTON – Twenty-one finalists were celebrated for their progress during the programme.
Twenty-one young entrepreneurs who were selected to take part in South African Breweries’ Kickstart Boost entrepreneurship programme were awarded for their accomplishments in Bryanston.
The finalists were selected from a group of 400 from around the country and have participated in workshops to help them develop their knowledge and skills.
The finalists have helped to create a total of 178 jobs in their respective communities as a result of the support provided by the programme this year. The programme was started 23 years ago as a commitment to help grow entrepreneurs from around the country through both coaching and financial support. As a part of their goal, South African Breweries (SAB) has set a target of helping to create 10 000 jobs in South Africa in the next five years.
Bishen Morgan, the procurement director for capabilities and sustainability for SAB, said, “We’ve got big challenges and we know that through entrepreneurship we can solve a lot of those challenges.”
One of the focuses of the Kickstart Boost programme is to help entrepreneurs gain access to the market and through the programme, the entrepreneurs were assisted with business opportunities with large companies and they are assisted with supply chain requirements.
Doreen Kosi, the vice president of legal and corporate affairs at SAB commended the contestants for making their way through the programme and beating out hundreds of other others to become the top 21. “Our main aim to make sure that we move young people from being job-seekers to becoming job creators, which is what you have shown us.”
Speaking to the finalists she said, “You will not wait for anyone to push you, you will go out and do amazing things and change lives and communities, starting with your own homes and your own businesses.”
The top five finalists of the Kickstart Boost programme were also awarded on the night for executing their business strategy most effectively during the programme and using the knowledge they learned to scale up their business and create jobs.
The top five contestants included Ebenezer Smith from Profecia IT, Kevin Munsamy from KCM Environmental Services, Violet Thotoane Lupuwana from Chumile Transport Services, Gabisile Mashilwana from Excserpro and Thabang Mofokeng from Samac Engineering Solutions.
Kosi implored that they should use all the lessons they have learned to grow their businesses and build up their communities.
Details: SAB Kickstart Boost SABentrep@za.ab-inbev.com
Share your thoughts on the programme on the Sandton Chronicle Facebook page
Related Articles:
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/213977/pitch-and-polish-announces-winner-of-the-annual-entrepreneurship-competition/
https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/200018/tech-programme-aims-to-teach-kids-about-it-and-entrepreneurship/
