Centennial Schools’ learner represents SA at teen entrepreneurship world cup
15-year-old Onalerona Tsiane, from Centennial Schools, is making waves on the global stage, representing the nation at the SAGE 2025 World Cup in Georgia with her business and book, proving that youth entrepreneurship in SA is thriving.
South Africa’s entrepreneurial spirit is reaching new heights, with one of the country’s youngest innovators recently stepping onto the world stage.
Onalerona Tsiane, a 15-year-old Grade 9 learner from Centennial Schools in Sunninghill, represented South Africa at the prestigious SAGE 2025 World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia – an international showcase of teen entrepreneurship and innovation.
Shaun Fuchs, of Centennial Schools, said the participation of Onalerona reflects not only individual excellence but also a growing movement to nurture entrepreneurship in schools – an initiative championed by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube as vital in addressing youth unemployment.
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“The team competed against representatives from over 30 countries, including Vietnam, the USA, Japan, China, Ireland, and South Korea,” Fuchs explained.
“The top 10 teams battled it out from September 11 to 14, presenting their businesses and competing for the title of the world’s top student enterprise.”
Onalerona and her sister are the founders of TeeSisters, a company specialising in personalised gifting and flowers. They also co-authored a book titled From Classroom to Boardroom: Starting a Business at Age 11 and 15 in Africa, which offers advice to parents and young entrepreneurs on navigating the challenges of early-age business ventures.
Speaking about her experience, Onalerona said: “We are very proud of our performance, finishing in the top six and winning two Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Awards: SDG 1 – No Poverty, and SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities.”
She added that the aim of participating was not just to win, but also to gain invaluable experience. “We learned so much about pitching our business, delivering confident speeches, and answering questions from judges and potential investors. These skills are incredibly valuable for our entrepreneurial journey.”
Onalerona and her team were welcomed back to South Africa with a warm reception at the airport by the SAGE South Africa team, as well as a congratulatory statement from the Presidential Cabinet.
“We are proud to have represented South Africa on a global stage, and hope to inspire the next team to do the same next year.”
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