Entrepreneur Daryl Dreyer is one of 20 local entrepreneurs from Hopefield, Moorreesburg and Piketberg who recently celebrated their graduation from an eight-month business-development programme.
The programme provided hands-on training, mentorship and psychosocial support, helping participants strengthen their businesses while building skills and confidence for sustainable growth, Dreyer said.
According to this founder of his own environmental-services business, Isa Environmental Services, which focuses on environmental education, rehabilitation and consulting, the programme gave him greater direction. “I was able to identify clearly which services support my vision and which do not. The mentoring helped me be more realistic about costs and financial decisions, while the psychosocial sessions highlighted my strengths and challenges as an entrepreneur.”
Participants took part in interactive workshops focusing on value proposition, customers, revenue and costs, one-on-one mentoring to tackle strategy and operational challenges.
Funded by the Umoya Wind Farm and implemented by the Initiative for Community Advancement (ICA), the programme focuses on sustainable, community-rooted enterprises that contribute to the local economy.
Amber Zeeman of Umoya said this type of support strengthened communities by equipping entrepreneurs with practical skills, emotional resilience and mentorship, creating jobs and promoting long-term local economic growth.
