The Awethu Project is hosting another five-month long entrepreneur development programme. This practical business programme is offering R45 000 worth of entrepreneurial training to lucky participants.
The Awethu programme offers assistance to entrepreneurs by focusing on growing and formalising your business, while simultaneously building it into an asset.
The deadline for this amazing opportunity is the 23rd March 2016 so you’ll need to register quickly.
What is the Awethu Project?
Awethu started as a R60 000 start-up and over the last six years it’s expanded into a company worth hundreds of millions. It offers assistance to entrepreneurs and their business through their entrepreneur development programme.
This programme has incubated and supported hundreds of entrepreneurs and their business dreams. Creating new business doesn’t just impact the business owner, but entire communities are positively impacted by one person’s experience with Awethu.
The Awethu Project has been internationally recognised by the Echoing Green Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative. It was locally recognised by institutions such as Discovery, the South African Government and prominent individuals including Archbishop Tutu and Nku Nyembezi-Heita.
What is this entrepreneur development programme about?
Awethu 2016 is offering 500 fortunate entrepreneurs the opportunity to experience 22 weeks of personalised mentorship. It will help to develop entrepreneurs by exposing them to real-life practical advice and activities that are targeted at growing your business.
You get to work with other entrepreneurs and get a chance to network with people relevant to your business. In case you thought you had to cover all the costs, Awethu will give you access to R5000 as part of its kick-starter fund when you start working and developing with the incubator.
For those talented entrepreneurs who manage to make the top 10% of the entrepreneurial development programme you could receive a further investment of up to R250 000.
Lethabo Mokoena, Owner of Walk Fresh explains her experience gained from the programme:”My business was launched in the Incubator and has more than tripled its revenues since inception. The business now operates from three different locations and has four employees.”
Who should apply for this entrepreneurial assistance programme?
Anyone who would like to go into business for themselves and be an entrepreneur, and who live in Gauteng should apply.
Entries are limited to Gauteng as Awethu currently only has offices based in Johannesburg. All of those participating are required to attend weekly meeting and mentorship sessions at the Johannesburg office. The Awethu Program is hoping to expand countrywide in the future, to be able to reach even more budding entrepreneurs.
This entrepreneur development programme is for those interested in running their own small business but is uncertain how to get going. The Awethu Project is designed to guide and support you and provide both experience and assistance for entrepreneurs.
This programme also applies to those who have already developed a business idea or are already running a small informal business. Awethu will help you to formalise, grow and make a success out of your business.
Any kind of business or business idea are welcomed. If you’re unsure of where to start, this programme was created to guide, support and provides assistance for entrepreneurs. However, if you start up a new business, it is required to be trading within six weeks in order for you to remain in the programme.
In order for you to participate in the entrepreneur development programme you’ll need to apply and register to join Awethu. There will be a launch pad session where we will give you all the information you need and then you decide which day you want to start on.
“I was given the practical experience of running a business on a day-to-day basis. I was taught how to manage finances, how to budget and how to deal with customers and build a strong customer and supplier relationships,” says Rejoice Majola, CEO of we.can.talk
Limited free registration
If you are one of the lucky participants selected for #Awe250K, you’ll need to pay a subsidised fee of R500. This payment goes to the six months you’ll spend at our academy. This is a commitment fee for the entrepreneur development programme to ensure scholarship winners treat this opportunity with the necessary respect and dedication that it deserves.
Can you still apply if I have a full-time job?
Yes, if you know you can commit to 3-4 hours of in-person training and mentorship each week for 22 weeks.
Do you need to have any formal qualifications to apply?
No, you do not need a matric or any other qualifications to apply. You just need a passion for business and becoming an entrepreneur.
How to Apply
It is quick and easy to applying to this programme designed to provide assistance for entrepreneurs. All you need to do is fill in the form on Awethu’s website. If you are one of the lucky future entrepreneurs who get selected, you’ll receive an invite via your email address. The invitation will give you all the details to attend one of their weekly Launch Pad events in Johannesburg.
At the Launch Pad event they will interview you and those that are successful will progress. The next stage of your journey will then be a five month long mentorship and training programme.
More about the Awethu Project
This business incubator was created to provide assistance for entrepreneurs and help them to build up the country. Every South Africa has the opportunity to realise their potential and make something of themselves.
Awethu is a home grown innovative SMME investment company. It invests in all types of businesses, whether you’re a spaza shop owner or an industrialist there is an entrepreneur development programme designed just for you.
The concept behind Awethu works by flexibly combining ideas, people and funding. With this combination they can build-up fast-growing, sustainable and unswerving SMME’s, which is just what South Africa needs.
If you want to get in touch with The Awethu Project you can contact them on: +27 (0) 11 024 1606. For more information visit their website: http://www.awethuproject.co.za/