Advancing young women entrepreneurs

Women’s economic empowerment is a prerequisite for sustainable development, pro-poor growth and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Green Connexion

Green Connexion is a social enterprise that seeks to advance entrepreneurs, specifically women, who solve societal challenges that improve the lives of the communities in which they operate. Women’s economic empowerment is a prerequisite for sustainable development, pro-poor growth and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. This will result in the advancement of women’s rights and create equitable societies.

A social enterprise is a business – either a for profit or non-profit organisation that solves a societal problem. Below are some examples of Social Enterprises.

Community Gardens

Sell nutritional vegetables to feed communities directly, at reduced carbon footprint, without transport.

Bakeries

Sell a staple food directly to the community.

Manufacturing

Provide employment and develop skills to local women.

Waste Management

Collects waste and diverts it from landfill and beautifies the environment.

River Cleaning

Clean rivers reduce human health risk, beautifies the environment and provides clean areas for community recreation.

Skill Development

Empowers the community to advance themselves.

Our Vision

To nurture young, women entrepreneurs to take up opportunities that solve social and environmental challenges to advance equitable societies and contribute to the achievement of selected Sustainable Development Goals.

Our Mission

To design and implement relevant developmental programs to empower women to set up, grow and sustain their businesses in a responsible manner that will further empower communities and result in social benefit and environmental conservation.

About The Founder

I am a mature wife, mother, mentor and entrepreneur whose passion is driven by working with entrepreneurs to provide them with business development services that allows their businesses to thrive and be sustainable.

After a twenty year career span in the corporate environment in senior financial roles in global organisations, I ventured into setting up two award winning tourism and eco-friendly businesses. My passion for Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) was ignited when I was afforded an opportunity to set up a township business incubator for start-up entrepreneurs to provide business development support that would facilitate their growth. I have since worked extensively with entrepreneurs in incubators/projects based on the Cape Flats, Lesotho, Swaziland and the West Coast.

I founded the company Green Connexion during 2018 to live my passion and I have been fortunate to acquire a number of contracts/clients since.

She is an accredited business advisor with the Institute of Business Advising Southern Africa (IBASA) and is in the process of completing accreditation as a Life Coach from the School of Life, and is the Regional Chairperson of IBASA for the Western Cape.

Our Clients

We've had the privilege to work with the following companies.

Developed a turnaround strategy for the West Coast Business Development Centre. Included the design of relevant programmes, redesign of policies to ensure governance and development of a sustainable business model.
Designed and implemented an incubation programme – Eco-Connect for two cohorts of social entrepreneurs from the Cape Flats. The programme resulted in the set-up, establishment and growth of township entrepreneurs.
Was part of a project team of social capital consultants who conducted capacity and social capital building interventions to facilitators and beneficiaries of the Smallholder Agricultural Development Project (SADP). My specific contribution was the design and facilitation of the module Farming as a Business.
Designed a programme – Eco-Connect – to set up and establish nine waste collection and management cooperatives within the Overberg District of the Western Cape. The programme created employment for 30 persons and significantly reduced waste to landfill.
Designed and facilitated a series of training programme for ABSA’s SMME clients in all regions of the Western Cape. The courses capacitated existing and start-up entrepreneurs to improve business efficiency and grow profitability.
Mentored start-up clients of the National Youth Development Agency. Facilitated the drafting of business plans by the business owners through one on one coaching.

Successful Entrepreneurs Creating Impact

I have worked with a number of SMMEs during my 10-year tenure. Listed below are a number of successful ladies who are and continue to drive social and environmental change in their communities.

Saldanha Bay Clothing

A clothing manufacturer founded by Megan Newman is based in the rural town of Saldanha Bay employs 28 women from the community. Among the strategic objectives of the business is to ensure that the employees are adequately skilled to ensure that product are of a superior quality and to ensure that the business is sustainable. She supplies clothing items to all the major retailers in South Africa and supplies currently exports protective clothing to African countries.

Grow Box

Renshia Manual, a multiple award winning owner/founder of Growbox, a community farm that aims to take basic food nutrition to the people who needs it the most, while fostering the development of sustainable and eco-friendly practices

Whether you are an inner city dweller with only a balcony space, or living in an informal settlement, in a flat or if you are a backyard dweller where space is limited or where the ground is badly polluted, Growbox has what you need to set up your own veggie garden.

Recycle First

A company founded by Anthea Fransman provides waste collection services and recycles waste to divert it from ending up in landfill sites. The company provides education around the imperatives to recycle waste to schools and communities.

The Green Cab

South Africa’s first eco-friendly transport company was founded by Amiene van der Merwe and a group of women in response to excessive carbon emissions. Vehicles are fueled by Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) that reduces emission by up to 70%.

Get In Touch

Please fill in the form below to send us an email.







    2018/549644/07
    info@green-connexion.com
    +27217881679