By Yumna Bodiat
Edited by Imaan Moosa
We spoke to Felicia Thobejane to learn more about HERstory.
Entrepreneur, marketer, and creative. Those are the three words best suited to describe the 24-year-old founder of social enterprise ‘Entrepreneuse’.
Johannesburg-born Felicia Thobejane started Entrepreneuse in January 2019 as a skills development initiative to equip female entrepreneurs and students with the tools necessary to create a name for themselves. She also provides career guidance to students by hosting outreach activities.
The enterprise is divided into three divisions: skills development and tech solutions, creative solutions, and outreach. The purpose of the skills development and tech solutions division is to set out programs, such as workshops about digital skills and solutions, to teach women how to achieve their company’s vision using social media.
Entrepreneuse aims to help youth from disadvantaged communities through a workshop series called 'Worklings at Work'. The series, which will launch later in the year 2020, will consist of step-by-step guide women can follow to start and/or better their businesses.
'Lushaka', another project the NGO has in the works, "is a career guidance and mentorship platform for high school students, university students, and young professionals".
Lushaka will come in the form of a mobile app available for download where high school students can reach out to varsity students and working professionals for career advice.
The 24-year old also has an interest in graphic design and has freelanced on multiple branding projects for companies across the country. She uses her creative experience to offer marketing and branding services to businesses, such as Mahlangu Inc. Attorneys, Global Traders, and SkaftinboyzWorldwide.
Entrepreneuse has collaborated with Spread Love Foundation, a non-governmental and community upliftment organization founded in 2015 as part of the outreach division. Together, the two organizations have run pad drives and menstrual workshops with QRATE, an NGO which is focused on educating schoolgirls and young women about their sexual and reproductive rights.
Felicia Thobejane (front left) in partnership with Neo Goitsibontle Mokori (front right) from Spread Love Foundation and Candice Chirwa (back left), founder of QRATE, for a Menstruation Workshop and Pad Drive for the girls from Nandi Primary School in 2019. Photo: Provided
Thobejane is currently furthering her studies in marketing management at the University of South Africa (UNISA), however, she is determined to take Entrepreneuse to new heights.
We will be branching out into other African countries once we have established a working formula here in South Africa. We have been building relationships with entrepreneurs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Cotê D’Ivoire, who are very interested in bringing Entrepreneuse to their countries.
Entrepreneuse requires donations and sponsorships for their workshops, e.g. hampers and light refreshments. To get involved with projects and help facilitate workshops, you can contact Entrepreneuse:
Email: hello@entrepreneuse.co.za
WhatsApp: 081 581 7582
Social Media: Twitter/ Facebook - @EntrepreneuseSA
Instagram: @entrepreneuse_sa
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