Newsletter 2017 12

EEESAY NEWS Entrepreneurial and Environmental Empowerment for South African Youth

November

Celebrating this year’s achievements

A message from the EEESAY team What a year it has been! We - Sue, Siyanda, Fezile, Sane, Stephen and Susannah, have loved every minute of EEESAY’s first year and hope you have too. We are all so proud of your achievements, with many of you taking the first steps in an exciting entrepreneurial and environmental journey. As you’ll see from the 2017 programme accomplishments on page 3, the EEESAY team was REALLY busy this year, travelling 39,000km, which is the equivalent of travelling from the top to the bottom of the African continent 4.8 times! But it was worth it to meet you all and we can’t wait to see your school businesses grow over the next two years.

Finally, we wish you all a very happy festive period and look forward to seeing you all in the New year when we begin our workshops in January and February.

EEESAYS First Marketplace events!

In October, we hosted two marketplace events: one at Cathcart in Eastern Cape and another at Dr Joseph Shabalala High Schools in Ladysmith, KZN.

The first ever EEESAY Marketplace events had a great turnout with 221 people attending! From 29 schools across Eastern Cape and Kwa– Zulu Natal. Highlights of the events included seeing the school businesses in action during the Market Places, hearing great conversations about the environment and business during the ‘World Café’ and eating the tasty lunches catered by Ekwaluseni, Amahlubi and Dr Shabalala, with W B Rubushana and Amazulu High Schools providing the drinks through their Tuck Shop businesses. We cant wait to do it all again next year!

“I learned how to work with other people/learners from other schools whom I don’t even know and to work as a team is a huge success. What I like is that I did not feel like I am not from this school or around, I feel like I am just like a family [at the market place]” Sinoxolo Rodolo, from Sobantu Senior Secondary

“I learnt that there are so many ways that a person can start up a business and that you can start little but with the knowledge that it will be bigger. I liked that everyone/school had their own thing (business) and they have done very well which inspired me and my mates to do more” - Sivenathi Gqola from Mzontsundu Senior Secondary

The EEESAY newsletter will be sent out quarterly. If you have news to share, please email us at sue .spies@wessa.co.za or Sanelisiwe@teachamantofish.org.uk

Implemented by

Funded by The EU

School business progress

Youth Advisory Board 2017

Sixteen learners from Amajuba schools gathered for the 2017 Youth Advisory Group where they presented their business information, shared wisdom, learning and advice, and gave each other encouragement. What is exciting was to hear youth want to expand the project outside of the boundary of the current schools, and requested that it should be expanded to other schools – where some learners have friends – so that all young people can gain knowledge and skills about planning and implementing a business.

“ I strongly recommend that this programme never ends but keeps on helping other learners and spread this programme to even older entrepreneurs. I would like to see this programme help many people who want to start a business and educate themselves based on business skills, key success factors and entrepreneurial qualities” - Anonymous 2017 learner

Meet Zenande—EEESAY’s inspirational young female entrepreneur

Zenande is a 16 year old, Grade 9 pupil raised by a single parent with her 3 siblings. She’s also a proud member of her rural community in the Eastern Cape. Zenande’s community has limited resources but she and her school business team found a great market opportunity and started an internet café. Through this business, they provide the community with access to online information and basics such as affordable printing and photocopying. Zenande says this type of business will not only help their team acquire the business knowledge and skills but will help other learners with their homework and further studies. Zenande has also increased her environmental knowledge EEESAY; ” I really value the environment and have decided to be an example to the others by doing even simple things such as picking up papers.” Her school Nompumelelo High also participated in a competition hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs on how to live in harmony with the environment. Her school, won second place and walked away with R17500!

When it comes to what’s next for Zenande, she says ‘the EEESAY programme has changed my mind on what I want to be. Initially I wanted to become a teacher but now I’m motivated to be a businesswoman. One of the girls in school said business people are mostly males and I said ‘watch me I will be a female entrepreneur!’”

The EEESAY newsletter will be sent out quarterly. If you have news to share, please email us at sue .spies@wessa.co.za or Sanelisiwe@teachamantofish.org.uk

Implemented by

Funded by The EU

School business progress

Feedback and 2017 Accomplishments

“EEESAY inspires us to be open-minded in terms of business.” - Anonymous 2017 learner

Being the lead teacher for the learners in our school business has enabled me to have a better relationship with the learners, my fellow teachers assisting in the project and parents! Some of our parents have given feedback about their children being so committed to the business that they carry on with production of the beaded pens at home in their spare time. This has resulted in some parents coming forward with advice and support on sourcing the materials needed.

- Mrs Shabangu

EEESAY 2017 by the numbers

Meeting 221 learn- ers, teachers and Dept. Education Staff at 2 Annual Market Place events

Delivering 12 days of work- shops across EC and KZN

Carrying out 167 school visits

Enabling 1089 teachers and

39,000km Travelled by EEESAY Staff

Leading to 15 school businesses being set up this year! Well done!

learners, from 35 schools to learn vital 21 st work readiness Century Skills!

Stay connected with EEESAY Do you want to ask questions about EEESAY, talk to other participants, share ideas and get updates? You can join one of our social media groups! We have a closed Facebook group where educators and learners can share their experiences and updates, ask questions and discuss with other business teams. IMPORTANT: Before you can join the Facebook group, you will need to answer two questions to verify you are an EEESAY educator or learner. Send a WhatsApp to your coordinator if you are not added. This group is monitored—unrelated or inappropriate posts will be deleted and users may be removed from the group. There is also a WhatsApp Group for principals and teachers o discuss school business leadership and a group for each district where teachers can ask questions and receive updates and information. Click on your district to join: Chris Hani Amathole Amajuba Uthukela

The EEESAY newsletter will be sent out quarterly. If you have news to share, please email us at sue .spies@wessa.co.za or Sanelisiwe@teachamantofish.org.uk

Implemented by

Funded by The EU