Why do we urgently need to train SMEs?
South Africa's unemployment crisis requires action - and the creation of jobs - fast! According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2013 Report, we remain one of the more poorly-performing countries with regards to entrepreneurial activity.
Our Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity (the portion of the population involved in the early stages of entrepreneurship) in 2012 was just 9% - far below the average of comparable economies around the world. Significantly, 96% of these small businesses fail within 10 years.
Economies need more businesses to create more jobs.
And for more businesses, South Africa not only needs more entrepreneurs - but better ones!
Our recent budget strongly emphasized measures to boost small business, seeing this as South Africa's best shot at much needed employment growth.
So how can we achieve this? A combination of:
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Government policies
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Financial support
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Education and training
In Nicholas Kristof's book "Half the Sky" he reminds us that whilst women hold up more than half the sky - at 52% of the global population - 7 0% of the world's poorest are women, and y et they own just 1% of all titled land.
FACT: Women owned businesses provide a more immediate contribution to the economy - for every 20 women helped, a new job is created. For men - it's 32.
ANOTHER FACT: Supporting women owned businesses has the knock on affect of aerating the economic soil with innovation and healthy competition.
Ingrid Roberts and Dr May Mkhize are passionate about this cause and one person with passion = 100 people with an interest. Ingrid Roberts and Dr May Mkhize became acquaintances six years ago through SAWEN and other women in business associations.
They became friends soon hereafter because they resonated in the desire to educate women - and became business partners more recently. Because for both of them - this commitment to the voice of women is often ignored. We need always to remember the African truism:
"You teach a woman - you teach a nation"
"Women of Diversity" Business Workshops
Designed and now implemented in KZN since 2009, the "Women of Diversity" Business Workshops provide efficient and quality mentorbased training to existing women entrepreneurs of the KZN region. The initiative also offers companies an excellent possibility under the Socio Economic Development Element to gain B-B BEE points in return for investments made.
Dr May Mkhize
Dr Mkhize is a Board Member of the South African Women Entrepreneurs' Network and the Targeted Aids Intervention and is a trustee of the Batho Batho Trust. She is currently self-employed as a farmer of sugar cane and livestock. She holds degrees in Medicine and Surgery.
Dr Mkhize's previous appointments include: Provincial Chair for the National Progressive Primary Health Care Network and Chief Medical Officer EDH Paediatrics.
Ingrid Roberts
Pietermaritzburg born and raised, Ingrid lived in the USA as a child and later in Canada, France and the UK before returning to SA with her husband and two young sons in 1994 to be part of South Africa's new dawn!
A BA (Hons) graduate from UKZN & Stellenbosch who has worked in the recruitment & the health and personal development industries for the past 20 yrs. Ingrid specialises in "affirming, enabling and inspiring" women with knowledge & inter-personal skills in order to live their best lives.
Passionate about supporting the strong whilst strengthening the weak - she is a widely sought-after speaker and mentor t o w omen a cross the province -from local government & business to the community through its schools, churches and charities.
She lives by the words : "do what you can - from where you are - with what you have" in order for each of us to leave a positive legacy.
More information
email:
ingrid@ingridroberts.com
http://www.ingridroberts.com