Julia Venter speaks at Famsa Secunda’s AGM

The non-profit welfare organisation, Family And Marriage Society of South Africa (Famsa), held its annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday, October 28 at Symphony’s Coffee Shop at Secunda Mall where the restaurant owner, Ms Julia Venter, was the guest speaker.

Ms Venter told people a bit more about her background, where she came from and how she got to be a successful businesswoman today.

“My dad was a wonderful man and he raised a child to know exactly who they are,” said Ms Venter.

“A father is the person in the house who gives a child identity and I am what I am today because of a dad who always thought I was the very best and the most beautiful.”

Ms Venter said she met a man who was a lot like her father and who also treated her well and gave her wings and allowed her to fly.

She went through a tough time when her husband, Mr Nick Venter (67), died in October last year of a brain aneurism.

Ms Venter said her other passion if fashion and she had a business where she supplied clothes to several boutiques.

However her greatest love is to feed people and bring them together.

She was persistent when she bought Symphony’s. For three years, she regularly asked the previous owners to sell their coffee shop

They eventually agreed. Ms Venter built it up from a small coffee shop with 20 seats to what it is today.

Her own children had to work at Symphony’s since they were 12 years old and Ms Venter said if a worker can last working at Symphony’s, they will last working anywhere.

“My staff will tell you I am very strict, but I was able to go to Netherlands for six weeks and leave my business for such a long time and knew I could depend on my staff to still let things run smoothly.”

Ms Venter still sees a lot of things in the coffee shop that reminds her of her husband because he made most of the furniture and left a legacy, even with the staff.

“Some of the staff here still do things the way Nick did it,” said Ms Venter.

Ms Santa Vermaak, Famsa’s chairman, spoke about what it means to be a volunteer for a charity and welfare organisation.

She said it is important that every person in society should serve as a volunteer and help people so that they can know what is happening in their community.

The treasurer, Mr André Blom, said Famsa’s primary source of income was received from the social services department and 2020 was a tough year for this organisation because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The income from our corporate and private donors decreased,” said Mr Blom.

The director of Famsa, Ms Marcelle Victor, said it was a privilege for her to reflect on a Covid-year.

“We had to adapt to strange and new things daily such as WhatsApp video counselling and digital virtual services,” said Ms Victor.

Famsa reached about 910 people through its virtual campaigns.

“Covid was strange, but good, it forced us to think out of the box and we had to implement new administrative rules,” said Ms Victor.

“Many of our projects had to be stopped during the hard lock down, but most of them are back on track now with the necessary Covid-19 protocols in place.

“I want to express my gratitude to our friends and our staff members and to the newcomers, let this motivate you that Famsa is a good organisation to support or with which to get involved.”

If you want to get involved, contact Famsa’s office in Secunda on 017 631 1593.