Mpumalanga Youth Seize The Opportunity To Ignite Their Entrepreneurial Endeavors
Mpumalanga Youth Seize The Opportunity To Ignite Their Entrepreneurial Endeavors. Brand South Africa through their Play Your Part Ignite Programme, have been on a national roadshow designed for the youth to motivate and encourage their entrepreneurial spirit, nationwide. Recently the Programme was hosted in Mbombela to assist aspiring entrepreneurs based in the region with an opportunity to fine-tune their business ideas by learning how to effectively perform an elevator pitch. The event took place at The Capital, Mbombela and hosted over 200 individuals who were looking to learn a skill that would benefit their budding businesses.
From more than 40 pitches that were successfully vetted, only 20 pitches made it to the final pitching session that took place in front of the Ignite judging panel. The panel consisted of Zazini Moli, Head of Speakers Firm, Marcia Ratswana Business Advisor at SEDA, and Sezanele Zondi, an author and entrepreneur.
The ambitious entrepreneurs battled it out for a position in the top 3 during the pitching session. Founder of Khehla Lami, Samuel Simelane, wowed the Ignite judging panel, taking first place and won R12 000. Samuel’s business is a general supplies and cleaning business, whose speciality lies in cleaning services, cleaning materials suppy, purified water and personal protective clothing. Khehla Lami also makes high quality cleaning hampers available at affordable prices for students and households.
Phindile Sithole, took second place and won R8000 with her business ‘B-Organic’, whose sole mission is to empower and elevate individuals through authentic, organic solutions that embrace natural beauty and foster self-confidence. B-Organic also specialises in manufacturing hair products. Third place winner, Zaba Mokoena secured R5000 for her business, ‘Hers Truly’, a company that produces organic charcoal also known as briquettes. These briquettes are made from agricultural waste using predominantly recycled materials around the Lowveld area.
