Township Youth Transformation (TYT) and various businesses hosted a Business Guru Young Entrepreneurship School Competition at the Highveld Conference Centre last Friday.
Schools in Msukaligwa Local Municipality, namely Netherland Park Secondary School, Cebisa Secondary School, Ithafa Comprehensive School, Lindile Secondary School and Ermelo Combined School, sent their best teams to take part in the competition.
The teams consisted of learners doing Commerce subjects in Grade 11.
They had to present a business plan sustained and guaranteed to succeed in a school environment.
The project, part of TYT’s numerous programmes, aims to empower, educate and groom young entrepreneurs within the school environment to decrease the high rate of unemployment and fight poverty within the township community.
It creates a platform for local business owners to give back to the youth by providing mentorship programmes in entrepreneurship.
The learners were treated to inspirational talks as Mrs Mpumalanga finalist, Nompumelelo Kuhlase, gave a word of motivation, while business owner Mr Athol Stark gave the keynote address.
He encouraged the learners to pursue entrepreneurship as a career, as there is opportunity in every corner.
NPSS was the eventual winners of the competition, walking off with the title and prize, collectively sponsored by all stakeholders present.
The prize includes material to begin and sustain their proposed organic green vegetable garden, which will be monitored by TYT, and a mentorship programme from main sponsors, Highveld Tourism, Ermelo Toyota, Ermelo Auto BMW and Dirito Tsaka Trading and Projects 37.
The rest of the schools will be visited by the stakeholders to see how the young entrepreneurs can be assisted in terms of funding.
Township Youth Transformation will next host a gala dinner to raise money for disadvantaged matriculants, who cannot afford registration at tertiary institutions.
