At schools all across South Africa members of the Youth Enterprise Society are gaining the necessary business savvy to become entrepreneurs
Roshila Pillay
Kutlwano Phokojoe crochets tops, bags, Rasta hats and anything else customers need, by order. Last year she made more than R1?000, which she used to contribute towards her school fees, share household expenses with her grandmother and purchase the necessary materials to sustain her business.
Phokojoe (18) joined the Youth Enterprise Society (YES) at her school in grade nine. YES is one of the programmes on offer from the Education with Enterprise Trust (Ewet), where pupils gain the necessary business savvy to become entrepreneurs. The programme is considered an extramural activity at schools.
“I knew I had the talent. I live with my grandmother and cannot depend on her for money, so I had to help myself. I am now equipped with the skills I need to start my own business after school,” enthuses Phokojoe. Last year she was elected chair of her school’s society and she is now the outgoing chair of the YES national executive committee. By wearing her wares, Kutlwano becomes a walking billboard for her business.
Andre Horn is another alumni who has combined his talents with the business skills he has learned. “From a young age I couldn’t even speak to people. At the national conferences I had to address about 300 people. It helps you gain confidence.”
Horn (18) is completing his matric and running Computer Magic, a company that installs, repairs and upgrades computers. “The programme has taught me to do anything in my business. I do my own books and promotions and run the business.”
At Barnato Park High School in Berea, the YES members gather for their bi-weekly meeting. Phokojoe is there in an advisory capacity, as are two other YES members who are now completing their matric year at the school. YES runs in all nine provinces and is comprised of societies that are based at different schools. Funding comes from Coca-Cola, Engen, Eskom, the Joint Education Trust, the Department of Trade and Industry and other companies in South Africa.
Drawing on the skills of business people, community leaders, teachers and other volunteers from the community is central to the programme’s success. Two teachers from Barnato Park High School volunteer as advisers for the school’s society. Advisers are trained to act as facilitators for the programme.
“I am a business commerce teacher, so naturally I was interested. I began enjoying it once I became involved with the children,” says Lungile Buthelezi, one of the advisers.
“Most of the work they do here is theory. At the end of the year they have to complete a project,” says Claudia Jeffreys, the other adviser. This is where the practical aspect of the programme comes in, with the young people expected to present a business idea after researching whether it is viable.
The meeting begins with an update from the treasurer and secretary. While reading out the results of a survey, the secretary makes a mistake in the tally. Immediately, the YES members pick it up and voice their dissent. This is definitely serious business. They then get down to finalising one aspect of their constitution, which is the latecomers’ fee. The majority decide that those members who make a tardy arrival at society meetings have to pay a R1 penalty fee.
Ewet was established in 1991 when a small community in QwaQwa identified the need for their children to be taught entrepreneurial skills. “Children are only taught academically and then either further their studies or try to find employment. They seldom think of starting their own business,” explains Zini Mchunu, one of Ewet’s project managers. The NGO received an overwhelming response from schools outside the Free State which wanted the programme to be implemented in their schools as well.
The company’s programmes are realised mostly through fundraising. Schools that can afford a programme pay the full amount for it while those who cannot like Barnato Park High gain voluntary assistance and raise their own funds. YES Society members also pay a R40 membership fee a year.
What members learn includes life skills, marketing, bookkeeping, leadership, management and devising a business plan.
Each of these levels is known as a “competency” and once members complete a particular level they have to present to a panel consisting of local business people and an adviser. Those individuals who excel in their presentation receive a “credit sticker” on their competency certificate.
Those who do exceptionally well have the opportunity to compete against other YES society members in the final knockouts. These are held at the three-day annual Competitive YES Conference.
The programme is structured to foster a healthy atmosphere of competition. It stimulates members’ minds and creativity, through little details such as the names given to each grade. The grade nines are referred to as “pioneers” while the grade 10s are “champions” and the grade 11s are fully-fledged “entrepreneurs”. The groups concentrate on one competency at a time, completing worksheets and debating the different aspects among the groups.
One group of grade 10s was learning business techniques. Asked to give an example of what he had learned, Patrick Mhlari (15) confidently replies, “You have to determine how much you have whether it’s R50 or R100 before you start a business. You must have sufficient funds.”
Rachelle Delport, a project manager for Ewet, recalls how a man in Bethlehem had been selling mielie-meal for years without much success. “The children from the society there helped him by doing market research for his business. They found that people preferred another brand. Once the man knew that, he changed brands and his business flourished.”
South Africa’s tight job market makes it increasingly difficult to obtain employment after school even if you are further qualified. Efforts such as those of EWET makes it possible for the Phokojoes of the world to use their talent and initiative to realise their ambitions.
“I want to start my own designing business Kut Designs. While I will study designing, at least I have the business skills to run my business while studying,” says Phokojoe.