Did you know?
A few facts we need South African to know about our partners in the BRICS Nations. The combined population of this Economic grouping is about a little over 3 billion. This is huge, considering that the total world population is around 7 billion. BRICS therefore has close to 42% of the world’s population. China and India come 1st and 2nd in the list of the world’s most populous countries, with Brazil (200 million) at 5th position, Russia being 9th (143 million) and South Africa at 25th (50 million). In a quick conclusion we can easily say we are in very good company and we can economically take full advantage of our relationship with the two largest countries (in population measure) and with almost close to half of the world’s population on our side. There is a huge difference when in comes to compare ourselves with our friends. One would imagine that with such high unemployment in South Africa (25%) in our given population of 50 million, our friends share the same fate. No, is the harsh reality! China with 1,35 Billion people has only 4.1% of its population unemployed, India with 1,27 Billion has 3,8% unemployed portion of its population, Russia and Brazil have only 6% of their population unemployed. So what and where have we got it wrong?
The problem with South Africa is that we have continued to depend on Multinational Companies and Government to employ our people. This is a very dangerous game we are playing and one game we must end very quickly. Most of our partners do not depend sorely on multinationals and Government, but they relay on small businesses and local grown entrepreneurs to fuel their job creation. South Africa has not been able to fuel and sustain the birthing of small enterprises. This complacency must end immediately. The question we must asked again is: Where shall we begin in addressing this desperate situation? The answer lays in our young people. Our population is made up of almost 60% of young people, those under the age of 35. The majority of these young people are still in 27,000 high schools across South Africa and in the 25 Universities. We need to put our efforts in creating a culture of entrepreneurship in this segment of population. Unfortunately we are still having people in authority who cannot see the value of this. Education alone without the application of it in real life will not change this country. Long gone are the days we used to come out of university and walk into a job. We need them to walk out of Universities with a mentality of creating their own jobs.
I believe that if both parents, teachers, community leaders and government work together on a strategy to instill and foster a culture of entrepreneurship in our young people, we will certainly turn around the current situation. SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation has been working with a number of young people in Western Cape and believes that if its current strategy of planting Entrepreneurs Clubs/Societies in all schools across the whole country, we will be able to at least have a widespread impact in imparting the spirit and culture of entrepreneurship. It cost at least R20,000 to set up an entrepreneurs club/society in a school. This money is available in South Africa if people can put their weight and value to this program being spearheaded by this NPO. To get involved, South Africans, Corporate and Community leaders should first visit www.teenentrepreneur.co.za to see the work of the Foundation and how they can join in this movement of planting Entrepreneurs Clubs/Societies . This is the only way we can rescue our young people from a future of gloom and doom.
For more information on the work of SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation contact
Lydia Zingoni
Founder & Director: SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation
Cape Town Science Centre
370 Main Road, Observatory
Tel: 021 531 3552 I Cell: 082 907 0739 I Fax: 086 548 9766
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
www.teenentrepreneur.co.za
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