The North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT) has continued its support for young entrepreneurs with the handover of start-up packages to the top 10 youth enterprises from the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District.
MEC for DEDECT Bitsa Lenkopane officiated at the handover ceremony held at North West University’s Potchefstroom Campus following the YAEI x Absa Zenzele Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge.
The programme is a collaboration between DEDECT, the Young African Entrepreneurs Institute (YAEI), North-West University (NWU), Absa and other strategic partners.
It is designed to support young entrepreneurs developing high-growth business ideas in three broad areas: energy, innovation and technology, and general business.
According to DEDECT, the initiative seeks to contribute to job creation, social impact and long-term economic sustainability while strengthening support for small, medium and micro enterprises and informal traders.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Lenkopane urged young people to make use of the opportunities and resources available to them and to focus on building sustainable businesses.
Our focus is on real, sustainable employability, not just collecting certificates, but turning passion, commitment, and innovative ideas into thriving enterprises. We are opening doors alongside our partners to ensure that underutilized funding for small business allocation, reaches you directly. The resources and support structures are here; now I challenge our youth to raise your hands, take ownership of these tools, and make the bold transition from job seekers to sustainable employers who drive our province forward.
The programme brings together government resources, academic institutions, private-sector partners and young entrepreneurs in an effort to strengthen the local enterprise ecosystem.
DEDECT said the collaboration is intended to help bridge the gap between public sector resources and entrepreneurs operating at grassroots level, while creating opportunities for local enterprises to develop into sustainable businesses.
The department said its informal traders and SMME support programmes remain part of its broader mandate to promote local economic development across the province.
The handover to the 10 youth enterprises in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District forms part of the department’s continuing efforts to extend entrepreneurship support across all district municipalities in the North West.