Untouched Adventures recently initiated the Be Kind Project, aiming at supporting local entrepreneurs in Tsitsikamma.
Marthinus van der Westhuizen, from Untouched Adventures, partnered with community and business leaders and experts in SANParks’ management team, Burt Ronald from TLT (Training Leaders Tomorrow), Willie Bester from VGY Leadership academy and Wiseman Biyana will host the two-day entrepreneurs’ conference.
“We invited 30 entrepreneurs from Tsitsikamma and Transkei to join in the event. The entrepreneurs came from a variety of different business industries including: tourism, catering, adventure activities, restaurants, clothing, and fitness.
“The purpose of the conference was to support, equip and find strategies on how to effectively assist new entrepreneurs in our rural areas to start and run their own businesses,” said Van der Westhuizen.
He said that the project was aimed as a long–term process of getting hands-on support through a mentoring programme to assist in skills development, tertiary education, personal development, and capital fund-raising.
“Small business in South Africa is key to our economy and to our communities; we have to see them succeed.
“We can’t sit back and wait for solutions; we as business and community leaders need to step in and take the initiative in supporting and mentoring new entrepreneurs in the very difficult process of starting, managing, and sustaining their own business.
“We hope to inspire these new entrepreneurs to do the same one day in mentoring a new generation of business leaders and also to inspire current business leaders to take the initiative in becoming supporters of rural micro-SME business owners in our communities,” added Van der Westhuizen.
- For more information or to get involved with the Be Kind Project as a mentor or sponsor contact Wiseman at accounts@untouchedadventures.com.
