At the end of September 2021, Metropolitan set out to activate local economies in towns and cities across South Africa. Our goal is to uplift communities across the country by honing in on existing skills and passions driving local economies, and then develop them further, spreading knowledge amongst the youth. Because of the promising talent, passion and drive, Polokwane was chosen as our first stop.
Metropolitan CEO Peter Tshiguvho asked young members in this community to grab this opportunity to learn, develop skills and grow, with both hands. And they did. Over a period of nine weeks, we gave 20 young South African farmers the tools they needed to create long-lasting and sustainable advancement for themselves and their community. At the end of the programme, each participant from the first Metropolitan Collective Shapers intake pitched their businesses to Metropolitan’s executives, with four Shapers finally emerging as our winners.
Metropolitan Collective Shapers aims to transform the potential of our youth into economic growth opportunities across South Africa. To grow these leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators, we have to plant the right seeds, provide opportunities and empower our youth to help them reach their full potential. This was just the first programme, and your city could be next.
Here are our first set of winners:
1st Pete Mashaphu – Winner: R50 000
“Thanks to Collective Shapers, I’ll be able to extend my borehole, purchase point-of-lay chickens and strengthen security back at the farm. I’ll go back to the farm and make sure that I never look at my business the same.”
2nd Huli Takalani – Winner: R50 000
“From management through to bookkeeping, the initiative really empowered me to run my business in a formal and professional manner by managing aspects such as cost of production more thoroughly. I will be using the prize money to improve the farm’s irrigation system, among others, and to increase the number of drips we use. In addition, I will also be purchasing high-quality seedlings to plant for the forthcoming harvest.”
3rd Jeffrey Takalo – Winner: R20 000
“The Collective Shapers programme taught me a lot in terms of how to take my business to the next level. I will invest the money back into the business, using technology to advance aspects such as precision farming. Technology will also play a bigger role in my business.”
3rd Benjamin Nkanyane – Winner: R20 000
“My future goals include assisting in the reduction of local unemployment, which is a big issue in our country and, by creating jobs, and providing skills and training to communities and schools, I will be able to pay the favour forward, as it were, by helping youths in the same way that the programme has helped me.”
#Togetherwecan#CollectiveShapers
You can support the initiative by sharing the message far and wide because together, we can. For more information, check out www.metropolitan.co.za or follow the official social media pages:
MetropolitanZA
metropolitan_za
@MetropolitanZA