BUSINESS
SA OUTLOOK
The fund not only provides investors with tax
Some of the other women-owned/run busi-
benefits in the form of a full tax deduction, but
nesses the Growth Fund has supported over
also ED and SD points recognition on the B-BBEE
the years include the following:
scorecard. Addressing “period poverty” with Palesa Pads
• Moshate Media, whose CEO is Mahlatse
An example of The WDB Growth Fund as a
Masimini, provides events management,
working model was highlighted when the fund
brand, communications and public rela-
recently invested in Palesa Pads.
tions services.
Palesa Pads (Pty) Ltd, is a women-owned com-
• Reabetswe Ngwane is the founder of
pany based in Gauteng that was founded by a
ATYRE. ATYRE prides itself by providing
female entrepreneur, Sherie de Wet.
quality locally made office furniture.
During Sherie’s travels, she realised that “pe-
• Reabetswe Moabi is the Managing Di-
riod poverty” was a real issue with girls missing
rector at Akandi Office Furniture. Akandi
between three and five days of school per month,
provides quality locally made office furni-
and some of them dropping out of school alto-
ture.
gether. She was passionate about solving this
• Born from a woman’s determination to
problem for girls and went on to create and man-
prove herself in the man’s world of securi-
ufacture the reusable sanitary towel, which she
ty solutions, GlobeScope is proudly 100%
named “Palesa Pads”.
black-woman-owned and operated by
“We can’t be empowering girls to the highest
Glynn Mashonga.
levels if their most basic needs are not taken care of,” De Wet told ENCA news channel earlier this
Khanyile and her team at WDBIH recognise the
year.
tough environment out there that many entrepre-
A true innovator, her business model is not lim-
neurs and businesswomen will face in 2021.
ited to pads, but also includes additional product
“The economy has been battered during
offerings such as detergents, buckets and under-
Covid-19. It is essential that we all come together
wear, etc.
to support our female entrepreneurs and women
De Wet plans to expand with new products in
in our economy to do their very best. We have
the next two years of business and plans to explore
seen so many examples of how resilient women
the retail and export business to generate sales.
can be in their homes and in their workplace, and
Looking to a brighter future
both private sector and government need to rec-
“Palesa Pads is just one example of how en-
ognise their value and create a space where ideas
trepreneurs can thrive with support and funding,
and innovation can thrive,” says Khanyile.
and then go on to create jobs for more women in South Africa” says Faith Khanyile, “and we have many women entrepreneurs with similar stories. All they need is support and mentorship in the early stages and then they truly begin to fly.
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