Phaphama Small Enterprise Development Initiative

People say small businesses are the future of South Africa, yet small businesses lack support. Students and youth have the agency to drive change in our country, but lack practical experience. At Phaphama we believe that it is at this intersection, between education and entrepreneurship, that we can increase social awareness and make a more economically inclusive South Africa. Phaphama SEDI is a non-profit student-run consulting organization. Phaphama trains senior University students who are innovative and passionate about making societal change, and who crave practical experience working with the local business community outside of their university environment. We connect these students with exceptional small and medium enterprises based in Khayelitsha and Philippi, who lack the necessary support to meet their entrepreneurial goals. These diverse and dynamic teams of entrepreneurs (EPs) and students work together in order to grow the businesses of the EPs. Throughout the years, we have found that the increased entrepreneurial capacity is only one of many facets of Phaphama: networking, support, relationships, and compassion grow from the ground of our organization.