Building Better Businesses
in South Africa
What’s Going On
News & Views
Annual Letter
The year in review
Every November we publish a letter to inform our supporters about events and accomplishments. Looking back, it seems that 2020 was even more active than usual.
Thank You,
Cynthia King
Cynthia has retired from the Board of Directors after years of valuable service.
She was a leading volunteer and often chief organizer of 'Tip to Tip for Africa', an annual cycling fundraiser held on Prince Edward Island from 2005 until 2012. Subsequently, she served on our Board of Directors from 2013 until 2019, contributing in many ways, from database construction and advice to managing fundraisers, to acting as a signing officer.
Cynthia is a woman of many talents: she has worked as a comedian on CBC Radio and Television, as a Member of the Legislature of Prince Edward Island, and most recently as an entrepreneur, as the Owner/Operator of PEI Cycling Tours. She has also worked in local, regional and international humanitarian organizations for many years, including with the United Nations in Haiti, with the Overseas Development Institute in Bangladesh, and in Prince Edward Island with community NGOs such as the Queen Street Commons, Squash PEI, and Cycling PEI.
Thank you for your outstanding contribution, Cynthia. We will miss you. Happy cycling!"
.
Photo: Martha presents Cynthia
with an appreciative sculpture
Building Better Businesses Symposium
September 26 - 27, 2019
The Symposium gathered more than 150 budding entrepreneurs on the Pretoria campus of UNISA (University of South Africa). It was packed with empowerment for small businesses.
Small businesses are the engine of economic growth at the community level, and so the channel not only for prosperity but for social development. The Symposium applies the tools of management savvy, seed investment and mentoring to boost success.
The two-days gathering was a sort of crash-course in carrying a good business idea into successful practice: inspirational stories from proven entrepreneurs; applying the Asset-Based Community-led Development approach to spot opportunities; practical guidance in the essentials of legal requirements, networking, finances and accounting. Bonus: cash awards were offered as incentives for successes in business development.
The presenters and facilitators were a cast of dynamic leaders: Rotary Presidents and District Governors, professors and authors, managers in banking, human-resources, and real estate, specialists in law and in management technology … plus ‘real-life’ entrepreneurs who have ‘made it’. These are people who know business and mean business.
The Symposium, and what happens after, works because of partnership — the cooperative contributions, with The Townships Project, of Rotary, the University of South Africa, SAGE Accounting, MacRobert Attorneys and others.
Looking to the Future
Strategic Planning Retreat
The Board of Directors of The Townships Project gathered in Toronto on October 21/22, 2019 to refresh our thinking:
❖ What are we all about?
❖ How do we follow up the successes of the past two decades?
❖ How can we best contribute to the further boosting of small businesses, so as to promote social development in South Africa?
MAKING CONNECTIONS in HAMBURG
The Townships Project at the Rotary
International Convention - June 2019
The annual gathering of Rotarians from around the world ... a great opportunity to spread the word about The Townships Project and garner support for the Building Better Businesses Symposium.
There were already links with some Rotary clubs, and we worked hard, at break-out workshops, sub-meetings and meals, to make more connections which we believe will lead to more Rotarian involvement in Building Better Businesses in South Africa.
Click the buttons below to see the information brochure we gave out, and a summary report about making connections.