Pupils honoured for work

Bead it, bag it and making sure it’s bought is the mindset which has seen 25 pupils from Charles Duna Primary School in Kwazakhele being named as the guests of honour at the Locally Yours Market.

The hard-working Kingdom Kids – between Grade 2 to 6 – have spent the past month creating colourful necklaces, bracelets and other beadwork to sell at the Locally Yours handmade market on May 27 at the Tramways Building.

The pupils formed part of the Young Entrepreneurs programme, which seeks to develop sustainable business models that teach youngsters how to run their own small businesses and manage money.

Locally Yours coordinator Annelize Botha said after having seen some of the designs, several other entrepreneurs from the Bay have volunteered to mentor the group.

“The Kingdom Kids children will be our guests of honour at our May event. We are thrilled that the heart of our market will be entrepreneurs who are all under the age of 13.
“The Kingdom Kids programme [established at Charles Duna Primary] is not about learning a skill but rather about creating a habit for life,” Botha said.

“Quite a few of our members have also volunteered to mentor these children in terms of learning new crafting and cooking skills, so I think this is just the beginning of a very exciting adventure.”

Charles Duna principal Nombulelo Sume said about 80% of parents whose children attended the school were unemployed, adding to the necessity for the pupils to learn to be self-sufficient.

“We are teaching our pupils not to wait for employment but to create their own employment. We are planting a seed, that even while they are at school, they can create their own businesses,” Sume said.

She said while the school bought the beads for the pupils, programme facilitator Nomawethu Zenzile came up with the concept which founded Kingdom Kids.

Zenzile said the 25 pupils formed part of a bigger group of 80 pupils who recently completed a 30-week course, in which they gave up an hour a week of their own time.

The Kingdom Kids gave up an additional hour a week to perfect their business.

“My hope is that they teach other kids – that they become teachers as well as entrepreneurs – and make an impact in their community,” Zenzile said.

“The 25 children participating have all learnt about running a business from the Young Entrepreneurs programme.”

Young Entrepreneurs business owner Ansulene Prinsloo said with high unemployment rates accompanied by low economic growth rates, children needed to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

“With the money the kids make from the market, they will be able to buy more raw materials, make more products and grow their business,” Prinsloo said.

“In this process, they are not only learning vital skills and knowledge, but earning some income for themselves and their families too.”