THE proverb, give a man a fish and you will feed him for one day, but teach him to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime is a theory that holds merit.
This is the philosophy which Missionvale Care Centre has adopted, with the aim of breaking the cycle of poverty in one of the poorest townships in the metro. To this end, a business expo will be held on July 18 at the centre in celebration of Mandela Day.
Informal business owners from Missionvale and surroundings will be provided with space to showcase and sell their goods or promote their skills and services. Local, established enterprises are invited to the expo to foster collaboration between them and informal traders, providing a unique opportunity to share knowledge and skills and ongoing mentorship.
Mentoring may include transfer of knowledge and skills pertaining to sales, marketing, employee management, financial literacy, technology and compliance. Linda van Oudheusden, marketing manager at the Missionvale Care Centre, said that Mandela Day typically includes a host of corporate companies who spend 67 Minutes on food preparation for the Missionvale community, or they get involved in maintenance of the centre.
“In creating a more sustainable impact, we are inviting local, established businesses to join us in this unique venture and make a meaningful contribution towards growing the township economy and alleviate poverty,” said Van Oudheusden.
She added that Missionvale has many small businesses, but they lack the expertise and resources to help them formalise their businesses and improve their market reach.
Informal traders and established businesses who wish to form part of this venture can contact the centre by emailing info@missionvale.org.za.
Also find more information on the Missionvale Care Centre Instagram and Facebook platforms..
