Amazing things happen when you are prepared to work hard to achieve a better life. Mandlenkosi Fadana (31) of Msinenge has always wanted to start his own car wash business.
With this vision in mind, Mandlenkosi wrote up a business plan, made business cards and opened a bank account and then, was lucky enough to get some funding from the National Youth Development Agency. This cash injection from the government helped him to buy all the equipment to start his car wash business.
He then approached Tracy Robins of St View Resort in Uvongo to start a car wash at the premises. The resort has been kind enough to allow Mandlenkosi to run his car wash from the basement on Stafford Avenue in Uvongo.
“Mandlenkosi has a good attitude! He does need more customers, but so far patrons from a nearby restaurant have been supportive, as well as the guests from the resort. Hopefully in December he will get lots of cars from beachgoers. We need the community to support him,” said Tracy.
His perseverance, hard work and determination has paid off, and his dream is slowly unfolding, and he is very proud of his business venture. Mandlenkosi, is the breadwinner for his family, and his dream is to make a better future for himself.
One of most urgent things Mandlenkosi needs is signboards to direct motorists to his car wash.
In his journey, he met Sarah Unsworth, who lives in Uvongo. She has been been supportive of Mandlenkosi’s dreams, and has encouraged him to ‘make it happen’. “I am incredibly proud of Mandlenkosi as he has done all of this himself. He has always been his own vision and drive. It’s amazing how clear it’s for him and his determination is impressive, despite living in a shelter in Masinenge,” she said.
Mandlenkosi also is the coach for the U13 and U15 soccer teams called the Better Boyz. The boys practise weekly at Douglas Mitchell grounds, and he plans to start a girls netball team as well. He is also teaching the soccer plays how to wash cars.
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