Media release: Prospective Aurora entrepreneurs awarded certificates after entrepreneur training

Media release

Solidarity Helping Hand

20 February 2012

Prospective Aurora entrepreneurs awarded certificates after entrepreneur training

Former staff of Aurora Empowerment Systems and other individuals living in the Springs area received certificates today after successfully completing an entrepreneurship course.

The course, which started in October last year, was a further step in Solidarity Helping Hand’s campaign to help this community to take charge of their own future. The project was driven by Helping Hand’s jobs portal WerkNet. During the course, eight prospective entrepreneurs were helped to compile a comprehensive business plan and determine their goals.

The entrepreneur training has already seen promising results. ‘It changed my whole life,’ said Thuli Shelembe, who has a natural and herbal medicine business. ‘Previously, I did not know I had to register my business, have business cards printed and design a logo. Now I also know there are certain things that can make my work easier.’

For Margaret Rayner, who makes theme cakes for children’s parties, the cherry on the top was not the certificate, but the fact that she is no longer the same person as six months ago. ‘I learnt an enormous amount at the course, but most important are the self-confidence and pride in myself that I gained, and the fact that I could find the Lord again.’

Gideon du Plessis, deputy executive head of Solidarity, was involved with the mining community since the start of the Pamodzi/Aurora crisis. He congratulated the entrepreneurs on their new skills but also warned that they should not become like Michael Hulley and Khulubuse Zuma, enriching themselves at the expense of others. Hulley and Zuma are some of the people responsible for the Aurora crisis, whom Solidarity has taken to court to force them to pay up.

Helping Hand became involved right at the start with immediate emergency relief measures. However, it was soon clear that the crisis was not a short-term problem. The entrepreneurship course is part of Helping Hand’s policy of upliftment through training.

‘Through this focus area, we can make a tangible difference in people’s lives,’ said Dr Danie Brink, executive head of Solidarity Helping Hand. ‘You now have the task of turning our input into good outputs. We are standing next to the track, cheering you on.’

Media liaison officer:

Juanita du Preez

Solidarity Helping Hand

Tel. 012 644 4390

Cell: 074 500 3915

E-mail: juanita@helpendehand.co.za