Township Labs helps South African teenagers become ecoentrepreneurs. They turn everyday problems into green businesses, like using fly grubs to make fertilizer or old tech to create solar lanterns. These young innovators get training, money, and mentorship, transforming their communities and boosting the country’s green economy. It’s all about simple ideas making a big, positive impact.
Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts’ Green StartUp Initiative is a program that aims to help young entrepreneurs and future leaders. It focuses on creating emerging business leaders, addressing environmental issues, and generating a proficient future workforce. This initiative has been implemented for over two decades and targets diverse youth demographics. It concentrates on capacity building and experiential learning for young people, while also supporting Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises. Through these initiatives, the DFFE has created temporary jobs for the youth and provided them with essential skills to tackle environmental challenges, transforming them into dynamic job creators.
The 2023 #YouthStart Entrepreneurial Challenge celebrated the success of South Africa’s young entrepreneurs in a grand awards ceremony. The competition, organized by the City’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development (SDECD) Department, provided a platform for both established businesses and emerging visionaries with innovative ideas to showcase their talent and tenacity.
