For 26 year old Clement Pilusa, emerging the 2015 SAB Kickstart Winner, in the face of high competition from other 18 entries, is a feather in the cap for the hard work he put into his venture. SAB Kickstart, which has been running for the past 20 years, is the youth entrepreneurship development programme of South African Breweries (SAB).
Pilusa’s enterprise, Pilusa and Mabotja Farming in Tshwane, Gauteng, will earn the first place grant fund of R500 000. This is on top of the seed capital the business received at the start of the programme at the beginning of the year.
Pilusa knows what it means to start small and growing bigger. He established his farming and fresh produce business in 2012. He started with vegetables and later expanding into broiler chicken.
Failing to contain his excitement, Pilusa says: “All businesses need training, commitment, passion, hard work, good marketing skills and financial planning. Through my efforts and the support structure offered by SAB KickStart this year, we were able to take my business a step further in its journey to success.”
In second place was Ranjan Sewgambar of Private Practicing Audiologist based in Durban, who has received a grant of R400 000. Third place winner, Caroline Kgomo of Meqheleng Waste Management based in Ficksburg, Free State, has received a business grant of R300 000. Chantelle Smith of Health View Clinic in Johannesburg, Gauteng, who is in the fourth place has received R200 000. Fifth place Angelo Maart of EnviroCare from Cape Town, Western Cape has received R100 000.
The 2015 top five winning youth-owned businesses will receive a share of R1.5m in business grants. An independent panel of business experts selected the final winners.
As part of the programme, finalists (entries) completed a year-long programme of business development support. This included a business growth strategy designed for their business, grant funding of between R100, 000 and R200, 000, in addition to individualised business mentorship. The coordinators of the programme say the finalists created more than 100 full time and part-time jobs in 2015.
I want to start my business in poultry farming but my biggest challenge I don’t have start up capital,piece of land,equipment and formal training.last year I approached (The dept of Rural development but the process is very slow.The idea to start the above mentioned business is dying slowly and slowly please I need help me.