2018/19 Tabalaza Pitching Programme to be launched and young entrepreneurs honoured
Department of Economic; Small Business Development; Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) in collaboration with The Free State Black Business Chamber (FSBBC) will on Saturday 16 June 2018, launch the 2018 Tabalaza Pitching Programme. This is part of the Provincial Government’s Youth Month Programme and government’s effort to identify businesses that can be supported by the department as well as potential investors and funders.
The programme was designed after realizing that regardless of interventions and opportunities by government for small business, many SMMEs still struggle to access funding due to various reasons ranging from lack of information or cost of accessing them. The SMMEs to be considered for support will be within priority sectors including, manufacturing, mining, tourism and transportation/ logistics. The Chamber will as part of the Programme introduce its “35 Under 35 Youth in Business Project”; a Youth development project aimed at investing in the growth and sustainability of young entrepreneurs in the Province.
“35 Under 35 Free State Youth In Business” is a development project engineered to align the efforts of Chamber; government as well as possible corporate partners to invest in the sustainability and growth of 35 young individuals under the youth age of 35 over a longer period of time. This project will furthermore utilize the remainder of the month to celebrate and elevate the work and achievements of young business people in the province who have been influential to both their peers as well as communities at large.
“As a Chamber; we understand the amount of work that goes into the development and sustainability of a business and this is why we want to make an added effort into ensuring that these businesses are well grounded; have the ability to expand beyond just their communities as well as grow the economy of the province.” said the Chairperson of the Chamber; Mr. Reggie Mutsi. “We are using this opportunity as a Chamber to not only celebrate the work by these young people but to also assist them in the promotion of their products and services on different platforms.” added Mutsi.
This project further enables the Chamber to know and understand the business dealings and industry-focus areas that are youth related; the kind of support and resources needed to expand these businesses and how to position them for future investment opportunities. We believe in creating a viable networking environment that will enable learning; support and even the development and growth of small and medium enterprises. “It’s important that we build a legacy project that is able bear fruits over a longer period of time. We want
to be deliberate in our actions to produce quality and successful leaders who will also intentionally breed a group of constructive and powerful leaders.” Mutsi said.
As part of its commitment to empower young entrepreneurs; the Chamber will on the day of the launch; award 5 entrepreneurs with machinery directed at the advancement of their productivity and business output.
The details of the events are as follows:
Date: 16 June 2018
Venue: President Hotel
Time: 11H00
The Media is invited.
For more details contact:
Lebogang Maloale
Tel: 051 400 9631
E-mail: maloalel@destea.gov.za
Lorato Gomolemo Moloisi
Cell: 071 275 2022
E-mail: lorato@truevines.co.za
