Coca-Cola awards R400 000 to young entrepreneurs
Four young entrepreneurs from the Vaal have been granted R100, 000 each by Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA).
The announcement was made at the EmpowaWorx third annual EmpowaYouth Summit, a platform established to provide skills development, investment and entrepreneurship advise and opportunities to youth.
The Summit hosted a business pitching competition, where four entrepreneurs based in Orange Farm, were chosen and awarded R100 000 by CCBSA’s Head of Social Transformation, Tsholofelo Mqhayi.
The young people will use the funds to start their Bizniz in a Box (BiB) businesses.
In a statement Velaphi Ratshefola, Managing Director for CCBSA said: “For us, opportunity is more than just money, it’s about a better future for people and their communities everywhere on the African continent. One way we support communities is by creating inclusive growth opportunities for communities, women, and youth.”
BiB aims to create an ecosystem of viable township micro-businesses offering complementary products and services in a community, using a spaza shop as the anchor.
“Young people are integral to our continent’s shared success; therefore, we seek to empower them both in the workplace and through community programmes throughout our markets on the continent,” adds Ratshefola.
“At CCBSA, youth empowerment is central to our sustainability agenda, which is why we have adopted three pillars, namely education, employability, and entrepreneurship as a framework for our economic inclusion strategy.”
