CATCHING THEM YOUNG.

Kept busy during school holidays, September, 2018. Picture: Twitter

Maleka Charles

The ten Grade 11 learners from Rabasotho combined school on Friday had a chance to compete for three prizes worth R10.000 in all.

The learners were asked to present their business ideas to a panel of judges from project Jala at Father Louise Blondell center in Diepsloot, North of Johannesburg, as part of grooming the business leaders of tomorrow.

Lebona Moleli, founder of The Marketing Kraal, said the idea behind the project was to expose the learners to entrepreneurship at an early age, as well as helping them to make the right career choices when they finish school.

“The idea is to expose the learners to self-employment at an early age.”

“We need people that are creative and innovative to start their own businesses.”

“I believe career guidance should start at Grade 11 not Grade 12, so when they finish writing matric next year, they should know what they want to be.”

In order for the learners to understand how corporate business works, Moleli said, they took the learners to various companies such as Media shop and McDonalds to learn about how they run their businesses, the entire plan was driven by a desire to give back to the community. He said.

“We took the learners to a company called Media shop, which is a media agency.”

“We also took them to McDonalds, so that they can explain to the learners how their franchise actually works.”

Abel Lekgadima, a Grade 11 learner from Rabasotho said he’s gained a lot of valuable experience from this very project that has only gone on for just a week.

He also said the project taught him the importance of perseverance and the use of small ideas to starting a business with.

“It was quite a tough week and a learning one, we’ve gained a lot of experience from the project.”

“But what I have learnt the most is that, if you see that you have an opportunity of doing something like starting a business, start it.”

The Marketing Kraal boss also pledged to give the learners, with an interest of pursuing a career in marketing, a chance to do marketing internships in the company, when they complete matric.

“I want to incubate the learners in my business, so let’s say one of them has an interest in marketing, they can come and do an internship in my company.”

“So the idea is to work with them from now on all the way, until they finish. That’s the plan.” Moleli said.

Project Jala is a scholar entrepreneurship initiative of The Marketing Kraal, which teaches the Grade 11 learners the importance of marketing, advertising, finance, Human Resources in business and entrepreneurship.