Green entrepreneurship programme aims to upskill learners

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Speaking at the launch of the 2023 programme this week, Primestars MD Martin Sweet said:

“The International Labour Organisation estimates that the green economy will create 60 million new jobs in the world by 2030, which according to data from C40 Cities includes up to 1.8 million jobs in South Africa.

“To develop these entrepreneurs and reduce the country’s high unemployment rate, the youth must be provided with the right tools, skills, and inspiration that will enable them to create businesses, and become gainful employers in a circular, restorative, inclusive, and clean economy.”

Since its inception in 2014, the programme has successfully used a unique edutainment model to activate the culture and mindset of entrepreneurship in over 90,000 high school learners and 3,000 teachers participating from over 1,500 under-resourced high schools across South Africa.

This initiative targets thousands of high school learners across the country from urban, peri-urban, township and rural areas.

The programme kicked off in August with learners being transported to various cinemas to watch an edutainment film, produced by Primestars and other key partners, called Karabo’s Kitchen.

This is supplemented with a practical handbook that gives students the tools needed to succeed as social entrepreneurs.

The programme then moves into its 'competition phase', featuring a national entrepreneurship boot camp and the coveted National Youth Awards ceremony which will be held in December with prizes valued at over R4m.

“We look forward to working with our sponsors as we take this spectacular programme to new heights, by transforming every school in South Africa into a thriving and sustainable entrepreneurship hub, and in so doing, pave the way to employment, equality, and prosperity for our youth,” adds Sweet.