The Charity Event was held by the Precious Woman Organisation, which usually helps women in business, youth and learners in advancing their entrepreneurial skills. 

Founder, Tshepiso Modisenyane, said the purpose of the event, which is held twice a year, is to give small businesses the opportunity to put themselves out there. At the charity event there were different stalls selling different products, while children did activities provided by the organisation.

She told OFM News she has always been passionate about helping small businesses grow. “I have realised that there are learners in high school who are passionate about starting their businesses. We also help them at the organisation,” she added. 

Modisenyane explained load-shedding has impacted the businesses she helps a lot. Most of them are still recovering from the effects of Covid-19. She will be expanding to other towns in the province to help out small businesses and also hold workshops for those businesses, together with learners who would like to be entrepreneurs in the future.

ALSO READ: Funding symposium hosted at Motheo TVET College

The Motheo TVET College Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator, in partnership with the Department of Economic Small Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (Destea), recently held a Funding Symposium. According to the Acting Centre Manager at the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator at Motheo TVET College, Larona Tsikwe, the purpose of the symposium is to bring Development Finance Institutions (DFI) under one roof with small businesses. When they speak about small businesses, they specifically mean businesses that have been in operation for 12 months, are compliant with SARS and CIPC, and are ready for funding.

He also mentioned that DFIs consist of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and the National Youth Development Agency (Nyda). They provide financial capital to small businesses to develop them and push them into the formal economy. The symposium will also look for any gaps in the current initiative, as well as chances to strengthen it, and the development of interventions for assisting black entrepreneurs in receiving equity financing across various sectors.

ALSO READ: Free State government continues to fight unemployment

The Free State premier, Mxolisi Dukwana, said during his State of the Province Address (Sopa) that 50 000 job opportunities were created across the three spheres of government, thereby exceeding their commitment in 2022. Of this number, the Community Works Programme contributed 26 871 job opportunities. “The composition of the participants of these job opportunities is aligned to our stated priorities of designated groups as 36 839 beneficiaries were women whilst 17 197 were youth and 407 were persons with disabilities,” explained Dukwana.

Outlining the plans he has for the province, Dukwana stated that one of the key drivers of economic growth and job creation is the province’s Small and Medium Enterprises. In the current financial year, 869 enterprises were provided with financial and non-financial support, of which 472 were youth-owned. The Free State Development Corporation provided financial support to 24 Small and Medium Enterprises, including 8 youth-owned Contractor Development Programme businesses. “We will undertake a substantial review of the current state of our public entities and reposition them to be proactive and responsive to the investment and development needs of the Free State economy.”

OFM News