Project Solutions
During the training program, the 30 entrepreneurs were trained in understanding the macro and micro environment. They were informed that these variables influence business growth and business failure and that these challenge-variables affect the unemployment rate in our country. These topics were motivated and agreed to by the learners based on feedback from the entrepreneur’s experiences in society and their belief that these variables hampered their business because it impacted their communities in a negative, debilitating way. The entrepreneurs learners were comfortable in joining a team with one of the selected topics for the Hackathon and Business Breakfast.
Various factors were taken into account in selecting the following topics:
This group of students worked on specific community crime solutions. The first group’s focus was to develop a social training app and to establish a training centre for ex-prisoners to support reintegration into society. The second group focussed on reducing crime in Mfuleni through positive reinforcement content approach via a community radio station slot.
This group of students worked on specific education solutions.The first group focused on making it fun for students to learn on-the-go via an interactive education app and the second group’s focus was to reduce the high school dropout rate and encourage them to finish their schooling.
This group of students worked on specific energy solutions. The first group focused on creating a mechanical generator that does not use fuel sources and they developed an ‘I-SAVE APP’ for daily usage monitoring. The second group focused on bringing sustainable energy to properties within the Belhar Community through an interactive website.
This group of students worked on specific local support for youth entrepreneurs solutions. Both group’s focussed on addressing the perceived lack of insufficient communal and government support for youth start-ups and both developed APPs with one of them adding a core focus on mentorship from business leaders to guide beneficiaries.
This group of students worked on specific green economy solutions. The first group focused on positively impacting the community’s carbon footprint and encouraging recycling methods through a commercial app, whilst the second group focused on recycling food waste as part of the Elsies River School Community Project, using Tik Tok.
There was only one group who took on this solution topic and its rationale was to address the issue of teenage pregnancy, GBV and abuse in the household through the development of a social app for teenage parents to engage and to encourage future good live life choices.
