Former journo lives his dream
ALEXANDRA – Former Alex Journo on mission to help Alex youth.
A former Alex journalist and budding entrepreneur who is starting to live his dream intends ploughing back to youth in his adopted home, Alex.
This is by exposing them to their potential and opportunities around them in order to curb their despair and gravitation into crime and other anti-social conduct.
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From Limpopo where he attained varsity qualifications in communications, Justice Mabasa said he spent five post-school years languishing without a job but was spurred on by his dream to be an entrepreneur. “Despite the struggle, I nurtured the dream, which many youths also have and they should be assisted to realise [their dreams] but only if they believe and sustain them and are exposed to opportunities which are plentiful,” Mabasa said.
Mabasa trekked to Joburg where a stint at the newspaper exposed him to a partnership business (with Lin-Mari Pelser) in an information and training company, Cranium Training Solutions. It facilitates training on social media, dialogues, labour law, quality and risk management, pension funds, communication and crisis management strategies and others for, government and the private sector, as well as non-profit organisations. They have worked locally and in Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Ghana and are expanding further.
Mabasa said the absence of business education in the school curriculum was the greatest impediment to youth- based small business development flourishing in the township and country. “We are taught to aim for degrees in order to be employed in government. When the jobs are unavailable, the youth lose hope and turn to
“We are taught to aim for degrees in order to be employed in government. When the jobs are unavailable, the youth lose hope and turn to crime which could be avoided if they have business ideas and skills to access financial resources, mentoring and other assistance from government and the private sector which are keen to support them.”
He added, “Often waiting for jobs creates dependency mentality and limits one’s growth. With a degree, business idea, knowledge and mind, you can start anything, will not be afraid to take calculated risks and will employ those with limited chances, for now, to create their own businesses. This, provided they have the information and are innovative.”
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They will host free workshops for all interested youths currently suppressing good and innovative ideas – including for spaza shops and other local business types – to assist them to develop and pitch these ideas, expose them to marketing strategies, business regulations including for cooperatives and on how to access financing opportunities.
He said the workshops will complement business skills training provided occasionally by law firm ENSAfrica and, they will cooperate with the Youth Advisory Centre and others to disseminate business and youth empowerment information.
Details: Cranium Training and Solutions 083 998 1948.
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