September 2022.
Small business owner, Gopolang Seajane (32), is one of five young entrepreneurs who have recently graduated from a 12-month Youth Social Entrepreneurship Programme. The programme was designed to inspire young Gamagara Entrepreneurs who are committed to changing their communities for the better.
The owner of Gamagara Dance Sport Academy, Gopolang had this to say about the programme, “This programme really helped me realise my potential. I am grateful for the tools I have acquired to support me when I’m faced with disappointments, rejections, failures, and challenges that come with being an entrepreneur. Given my line of work, it has been tough to transform my craft into a profitable business, but the programme also assisted me with that.”
Funded by REISA Solar and implemented by Raizcorp, this programme aimed to address youth unemployment and tackle a range of pressing socio-economic challenges.
“We believe that this programme will support a fundamental change in young people’s lives by promoting the emergence of new youth and women-led businesses. It will also help enterprises in their early stages to thrive and become more sustainable,” said Veronique Isaacs, Project Community Operations Officer for REISA Solar.
This second phase of the programme, which concluded in June, provided the local entrepreneurs with the skills to grow their small businesses in a way that reduces their reliance on large entities. Furthermore, having completed the programme, REISA Solar will provide funding to the participants requiring capital to expand or grow their business.
2nd Floor, Fernwood House, The Oval, 1 Oakdale Road,
Newlands, Cape Town, 7700
Claremont, 7735
REISA Local Community Office:
Dynlog Management Development Building,
Block B, Ground Floor,
Office 1, Kameeldoring Business Zone,
Kathu, Northern Cape, 8446