The primary object of the Enterprise Development programme is to facilitate and foster entrepreneurship and job creation. The projects are listed below.
Tshapile Ulimo - Engcobo
Tshapile Village in Engcobo in the Eastern Cape is inhabited by 3200 people and consists of four sub-villages, Plangweni (100 ha) Sigageni (115 ha); Mmangweni (115 ha); and Mabhulwni (75 ha), making up a total of 500 ha of land used for agricultural crops production.
A conservative estimate of 500 direct jobs has been created for one of the areas that has been described by research from the Human Sciences Research Council as “the worst part in South Africa for a child to grow up” due to acute poverty.
Umdoni Communal Gardens
Umdoni Communal Gardens is creating sustainable rural agri-business for 271 members belonging to 21 cooperatives. They have planted vegetables in 57 ha of land most of which is now under irrigation. The project is contributing to job creation, poverty alleviation, skills development, entrepreneurship development and stimulation of community economic development in the poor rural communities of the South Coast of KwaZulu Natal.
Treepreneurs - Wildlands Conservation Trust
This exciting and innovative indigenous tree propagation and community greening programme is rapidly developing into a world-class sustainable development programme. It promises to provide a sustainable livelihood for orphans and vulnerable community members involved in propagating and growing trees. To date, more than 2000 Treepreneurs have been recruited in KwaZulu Natal’s rural communities and the Luphisi Village in Mpumalanga. Plans are now in place to extend the project to Limpopo.
Tshwane Entrepreneurial Hub - Amajobjob
The Tshwane Entrepreneurial Hub is a unique networking hub that serves as a nexus for aspirant Entrepreneurs wishing to introduce their ideas to the business world, retailers and the public.
Amajobjob seeks mutual interests by creating hybrid value chains where themed designs are linked to viable products and production processes thereby creating value propositions which alleviate the poverty of previously disadvantaged crafters and manufacturers. This provides a product and processes that create sustainable livelihoods, thereby alleviating poverty from the ‘inside-out’.
Heiveld-Cooperative
The Heiveld Co-op was founded by 14 small-scale farmers of the Suid Bokkeveld community in 2001. Since then the Heiveld has grown to over 40 members today and does its own marketing and exporting of its member’s rooibos tea. Heiveld is exclusively producing organic tea of highest quality for export markets.
They have established long-term trading relationships with fair trade organisations and promote sustainable production and harvesting of organic and wild rooibos tea. The Co-ops philosophy is simple: “look after the land and the community, and they will look after you”. They were Finalists in the BBC World Challenge 2008.
Emfundisweni Sustainable Village Bakery
Situated in Emfundisweni, Flagstaff, in the Eastern Cape, the Emfundisweni Skills Development Centre is an island of enterprise excellence in a deep rural village that is boasting three profitable enterprises:
- An ensuite B&B employing 10 people.
- Uniform and clothes manufacturing enterprise that employs 14 people.
- A sustainable village bakery and confectionery that operates 24-hours-a-day, employing 38 people producing 5 200 loaves of bread per day.
Bulungula Incubator (Gardening/ Nurseries)
The Bulungula Incubator is situated at Nqileni Village in the Eastern Cape Wild Coast, a very remote area with no roads, proper school, running water, toilets, clinic, or electricity. The projects that have been incubated so far include, a vegetable nursery; a vegetable garden; and a lemongrass cultivation project with a potential to revolutionize the community’s income stream.
In dried format, the lemongrass is used in tea and other herbal blends. The incubator has now completed feasibility studies for the following micro-enterprises: Bee Keeping; Tree Planting; Snail Farming; Poultry; Hot Boxes; Hair Salon; Home Stay Tourism; Hammock Sewing; and Wool Spinning & Weaving.