Study Abroad: South Africa

Throughout the Spring, I worked with a group of 3 other business students and 1 design student in DAAP to create a total of 5 groups. Each group worked with one entrepreneur and spent time communicating with them through WhatsApp and occasionally setting up calls to inquire about the business practice and future vision of what they want to see for themselves. 

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This was an immediately impactful class for me. In Khayelitsha, there are a lot of effects from Apartheid that still remain. Many people of color living here still have the mindset that they are not equal to their white counterparts and don't feel comfortable asking for government loans or seeking out well-paying jobs to improve their home situation, so to survive, many start their own businesses. However, since many of their parents and grandparents didn't have access to a proper education, the majority of residents in Khayelitsha are not well-educated, making it hard for many to understand why their businesses aren't succeeding or what they need to change to see improvement. Further, South Africa is subject to something called "Loadshedding". This is when the government sells electricity to other countries, leaving SA with none. Wealthy residents can purchase converters and maintain electricity during load-shedding periods, but Khayelitsha does not have that privilege, which is another factor that affects business. 

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My group's entrepreneur is Sivenathi, and she owns a nail salon! We helped encourage her in South Africa since confidence in all five entrepreneurs was initially very low. She already had thought of many of the business strategies we presented to her, and as she participated in workshops we held that focused on promotion, branding, pricing, and more, we saw her flourish in both her confidence and the amount of dedication she was putting into her business. This was truly an unforgettable experience. After completing three days of workshops with our entrepreneurs, they are now starting a year of workshops that our partner organization hosts! We went to the graduation ceremony for the entrepreneurs who started the program last year, where we solidified a strong Small Business Package for them that they will be able to take and present to government officials to get grants and loans for their businesses!

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For Sive, we surprised her with loyalty cards, business cards, a new logo that we printed on aprons, shirts, pillows, and a mug, an outdoor street sign, flyers, decorations, a website, and a new business email. I could not be more grateful for this experience and have learned so much. We visited and met several entrepreneurs who had completed the program and saw in person that we were making a tangible difference in their lives, and they have never forgotten the support they received. 

I took a vlog of some views and sights we saw and added a few clips of our entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs we met who went to the program. Everyone was incredibly friendly, greeting every stranger with a warm hug, and that was my favorite part of South Africa.

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Check out my travel vlog!: South Africa Vlog