Originally published on 04 May 2015
What was the problem?
Many entrepreneurs in townships and rural areas struggled to get reliable power for their businesses. This problem stopped them from making money and improving their lives.
How was it solved?
A new project gave out portable solar power kits to entrepreneurs to help them start and keep their businesses going. The Community Chest, led by CEO Lorenzo Davids, introduced the EcoBoxx Entrepreneur Kits, which are portable solar power tools to help small business owners. These kits included solar panels that gave up to 50 hours of power. They came with important tools like LED lights, a USB fan, hair clippers, and a cellphone charging cable, allowing entrepreneurs to offer services like haircuts and mobile phone charging.
The project helped 963 people in the Cape Town area by giving them tools and business training. By using solar energy, these entrepreneurs could run barbershops and other businesses, possibly earning up to R1,000 per week.
The project encouraged participants to find out what their community needs and to create services or products to meet them. This approach not only supported entrepreneurship but also promoted community development and safety.
Acknowledgements:
Original article written by: South Africa, the Good News
Photograph supplied by: South Africa, the Good News
Get your community involved
Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.
Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.
Know your rights – how local government works
It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.
Cape Town
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