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What started out as a short learning programme with only seven participants in 2013, has grown into one of the NWU’s flagship empowerment initiatives, benefiting female entrepreneurs across central South Africa.

 

The Enterprising Women Programme – or EWP as it is known – is a dynamic and innovative collaboration between the NWU’s bhive Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) in Vanderbijlpark and Aequis Consulting South Africa.

 

On 20 September, this partnership celebrated its fifth anniversary during a glittering gala event hosted at the Emerald Resort and Casino Hotel in Vanderbijlpark. During this milestone occasion, participants from two groups of the EWP graduated, namely EWP Vanderbijlpark (2017) and EWP Sasolburg (2016). The latter represented the programme’s first expansion beyond Vanderbijlpark and saw industry giant Sasol coming to the table as the main sponsor.

 

Empowering women in Sasolburg

 

According to Dr Esmé Young from Sasol’s Small Business Development unit, the Sasolburg programme aims to empower women from Sasolburg’s Zamdela township, which is home to more than 115 000 people.

 

During her address, Esme announced that the selection process for the second cohort of start-up female entrepreneurs from the area is already taking place and that funding has successfully been secured for a third cohort of entrepreneurs.

Unlocking the power of potential

 

In his address at the dinner, Prof Herman van der Merwe, Deputy Dean: Teaching and Learning of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, said South African women are still in the minority when it comes to entrepreneurship, even though more than half the population is female.

 

“This programme, however, bears witness not only to the NWU’s commitment to social justice and community upliftment but also the institution’s belief in the power of potential,” he said.

 

Networking is the name of the game

 

Apart from the participants receiving their certificates and having the opportunity to showcase their business models and network with high-level representatives from business and industry, the event also saw the launch of the NWU Enterprising Women’s Association.

 

This association will be made up of programme alumni and will serve as an advisory and networking body.

Unleash the power of

 

The Enterprising Women Programme is an eight-month learning programme, where a team of experienced presenters from academia and the business sector guide participants on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Click on the videos above to meet some of the participants of the Enterprising Women Programme (EWP) who graduated recently. They are the EWP Vanderbijlpark group (video on the left) and the EWP Sasolburg (video on the right).