PROG 2017-2021_Outcome_South Africa

The overall objective of this five-year programme in South Africa is to reduce poverty and improve the livelihoods of entrepreneurs from historically disadvantaged communities. The Specific Objective of this five year programme is that 10 MBOs have been strengthened and contribute to a more inclusive economy as well as sustainable livelihood of small-scale entrepreneurs by creating a prosperous sector climate, respecting the environment and sustainable development principles. This programme aims to do so through assisting these entrepreneurs in overcoming the “growth trap” (failure of a business within the first year of operation) and building the capacity of MBOs who provide capacity building and support for entrepreneurs. To this aim, Trias will strengthen the capacity of ten MBOs: National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC), George Business Chamber, West Coast Business Chamber, Maize Capital Chamber of Commerce, Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Greater Alexandra Chamber of Commerce and Industry. By the end of 2018, four additional chambers will have been researched and examined as potential new partners to join the programme from 2019 through to 2021. This capacity strengthening will focus on a) increased participation of empowered poor, women and youth in the organisation they are members of, b) an improved internal organisation of the MBOs that are partners of Trias, c) integrated service delivery of the MBOs towards their members and d) more efficient lobbying. Potential and early-stage entrepreneurs - the main target group - will be supported by their MBO through focused activities such as business skills training, business plan development, mentoring, facilitation to access credit, and increased representation of young and female entrepreneurs in the decision-making organs of their organisation. To improve internal communications between the MBOs and their members as well as among the member themselves, the programme will implement a data management system, followed by a Customer Relation Management System. During the first two years (2017 and 2018), the programme builds up gradually by fully complementing the existing PEERS (Partnership for Empowered Entrepreneurs’ Representation in South Africa) programme funded by the Flemish Government until December 2018. From 2019 to 2021, the programme builds further by scaling up of its best practices and lessons learned. Trias has begun scanning the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country to identify the most appropriate MBOs to introduce into the programme from 2019, increasing the number of partners to 10 MBOs (from 2019 to 2021). 6,000 small scale entrepreneurs will directly benefit from this programme.