When your personal needs (for survival), and the needs of your dependents, exceed your income, life is tough.
This is the reality of life for most who attend our micro business training course. Life is tough.
We help our students set up micro businesses, or assist them to make an existing business more effective. We celebrate with them when good profits are generated, but for many the profit is consumed by the demands to simply survive. Many do not re-invest into their businesses, and many simply do not save anything at all. This remains a key challenge and an issue which we have discussed and analyzed numerous times.
I am therefore excited about the 4 MBA students from the University of Stellenbosch who have chosen our project for study, analysis and comment. I am especially interested to see their reactions when they come into contact with “township economics”. I am interested to discover whether their advanced studies will help them help us, as we work hard to find solutions for some of the unique challenges micro-entrepreneurs are faced with in Cape Town township life. Watch this space!
We have completed training the first two groups for 2013, and are now busy with the long process of mentoring. The attached photo shows Patson mentoring students at a fellow student’s business. This young man built a wonderful structure next to a very busy road and opened a “restaurant” & take-away business. However he is facing challenges and Patson used this opportunity to present a workshop, asking for input from the others to suggest ways to improve this business. The suggestions were varied and interesting! The session ended with the business owner serving lunch to all at a reduced price! This included barbequed chicken feet – a popular delicacy for many South Africans.
