© 2017 South Africa - The Good News
How ‘community projects’ can help with unemployment – 43 shining examples
By Prof Elain Vlok, Founder of Clover Mama Afrika
South Africa’s employment rate is currently sitting at an average of just over 25%¹, peaking at over 27% at the end of 2016. While that figure decreased at the start of 2017, the fact remains that a quarter of South Africa’s citizens remain jobless. We are at a critical time in our economy where food prices continue to rise and jobs are scarce. Can community projects possibly help both of these needs?
I think they can, albeit on a small scale. Based purely on the success of the ‘mamas’ under the Clover Mama Afrika wing, we have witnessed the positive impact of community projects. I started Clover Mama Afrika in 2004, with a passion to implement change and set up a Corporate Social Investment initiative that both Clover and I could be proud of. During the last thirteen years, I’ve watched as our efforts to help communities have developed into successful small businesses, creating jobs and sustaining communities at the same time
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SCHOOL ENTERPRISE
A few weeks ago I featured a news item regarding the School Enterprise Challenge Awards Programme 2017 and called for 2017 entries.
Here is an inspiring story of a 2016 winner.
Zithokozise High School – Ugu District (Winners in the School Enterprise Challenge 2016)
School Business: Happy Day Tuck Shop
Overall Winner 2016
Learners at Zithokozise High School have shown outstanding innovation and entrepreneurial spirit in developing their business. Now in its second year, the Happy Day Tuck Shop won our Best Business Plan Prize in 2015, and since then it has continued to flourish. In 2016 it surpassed expectations and made a R1234.50 profit – almost three times the original estimate of R461! These learners were also able to set up another business which compliments their tuck shop, Happy Days Veggie Garden!
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Damelin Graduate makes the catwalks of Mozambique Fashion Week
Damelin holds a strong belief that if you do what you love, you will always be happy. This is why, our objective is to cultivate a mind that is passionate. Lucia de Almeida was already an accomplished young woman with an honours in psychology, but decided to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer. Lucia graduated from Damelin in 2013 and has since worked hard to make her dreams a reality.
“I have my honours in psychology, but I have a passion for fashion. I decided to take a chance and my friends told me that Damelin in Menlyn was offering a course, so I enrolled, “said Lucia.
Lucia attended Damelin Menlyn and described the campus environment as ‘warm and kind’. “The teachers were very helpful and we even got help from the second year students who were more experienced, “said Lucia. She is glad that she chose Damelin to follow her dream. “This is the third year I will be going to Mozambique fashion week, so I am really happy with my decision to do what I wanted, ”said Lucia
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THIS WEEK'S FAST FACT
Givers:
According to the OECD, in 2015 the US contributed more than $30 billion in foreign aid, this was followed by Germany which contributed more than $20 billion and the UK which contributed just under $20 billion. However as a percentage of gross national income (GNI), Sweden was the largest foreign aid contributor (1.4% of GNI) followed by the UAE (1.1%) and Norway (1.05%). (Source www.Eighty20.co.za)
