Noah Business seeks to empower entrepreneurs
NORWOOD – A local network continues to make efforts to alleviate community needs.
When a local Community Action Network (Can) was formed by concerned community members last year, they never imagined it would still be running almost two years later.
The Norwood, Orange Grove and Houghton (Noah) Can, which was formed during Level 5 lockdown last year, is around and undoubtedly still needed.
Project coordinator Emily Wellman said in terms of emergency food relief, the network is averaging about 450 large and nutritious food hampers a month. The network supports various organisations when it can with supplies and has distributed countless packs of sanitary pads, toiletries, stationery hampers, and clothing to vulnerable people in and around Ward 73.
“Had this outreach not been available to vulnerable families, there would surely have been a humanitarian crisis in the precinct. While emergency outreach unfortunately needs to continue, Noah Can is also looking at ways to uplift the community and restore dignity to those who so cruelly need to rely on handouts to survive,” Wellman said.
She added that they launched their Noah Business platform earlier this year. It runs free workshop training sessions for entrepreneurs to help them either launch their small business or improve an existing one. This can be for someone who wants to sell biscuits at a taxi rank all the way up to someone who sews beautiful clothing and hopes to find buyers for their outfits.
Through learning how to cost items appropriately and budget correctly, it is hoped that people will eventually be sustainably self-employed.
Wellman concluded, “There are so many people who have worked with us to make our achievements possible, too many to mention here, but Community Active Protection, Norwood SPAR, Norwood Pick n Pay and the Norwood Community Police Forum have, and continue to help us without fail.”
Noah Can has also played an important role in the community by facilitating the improvement of relations between other active role players in the area. When everyone works together for a common goal so much more can be achieved.
The network relies entirely on the support of the community through donations of non-perishable food items and monetary donations.
Details: If you would like to support Noah Can, donations can be made safely using this link www.walletdoc.com/pay/LOW001
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