Young entrepreneurs have shown off their business savvy at a Mitchell’s Plain market.
Nuraan Arendse, 11, from Lentegeur, got her grandmother, Zainab, to make koeksisters and sold them at a youth market held at Masjiedur Rawbie Hall, in Portland, on Saturday.
Nuraan is a pupil of Read2Lead, a literacy and leadership non-profit organisation that runs a Saturday community-literacy programme and also organised the market.
Her koeksisters were packaged in a brown paper bowl with a plastic lid bearing her brand: NA Koeksisters – “taste better than your ouma’s”.
Nuraan is one of Zainab Arendse’s four grandchildren, whom she supports.
“I try my utmost best to give her a skill and make something of her life,” said Ms Arendse.
Nailah Kippie, founder and director of Read2Lead, said the market was a way to teach the benefits of entrepreneurship, including, “improving the economy by creating jobs, increasing competitiveness, creating innovative goods and services, creating a strong community and cultural identity and producing income”.
The Covid-19 pandemic had shown how easily a source of income could be lost, she said.
“We would like to show our young pupils that there are many ways of creating your own income.”
Almaas George, 13, and her brother, Mughammad-Ilyaas, 10, from Westridge, spent most of their Friday baking scones and were sold out within two hours.
Zaakirah Peters, 14, from New Woodlands, sold hair accessories, which she had sourced from a local shop. She wants to save up to visit Dubai and help her mother and father.
• Read2Lead runs weekly programmes on Saturday at the mosque hall, in Merrydale Avenue, Portland from 10am until noon. They also offer free life-coaching classes for parents to help them support their children’s learning.
Visit read2lead.co.za or call Ms Kippie at 082 997 4674 for more information.