Stephen Ferreira has been teaching a group of women from a local informal settlement, how to turn bulk food into small business opportunities.
Johannesburg, South Africa (24 May 2023) – A constant hot topic in South Africa is the unemployment rate and as times get even tougher, people are needing to innovate ways to make ends meet. Stephen Ferreira from Charity Begins With Me has come up with a simple way to help women from the local informal settlement, learn small business skills.
Stephen started ‘Charity Begins With Me‘ shortly after he was first diagnosed with cancer in 2016. He realised he could do so much more with the life he had left and quickly set up the charity as a way to give back. He ran the charity throughout his chemotherapy treatments, remission and, sadly, his relapse. Whatever battles he faces in his own life, it is those of others that give him the strength to push through.
Working with the local community has become a huge part of Stephen’s life and making sure everyone has equal opportunity, even more so. Times are tough and he is seeing it first-hand, on the ground.
The only way to help (for now) was to offer what skills he has in the way of business and mathematics. Stephen got several bags of bulk food goods, including rice, sugar and pap. He invited a group of ladies who are currently unemployed to come through for a class on how to divide bulk goods into smaller, more affordable parcels and sell them at a profit so they can put food on their tables too.
He shared his new initiative on Facebook in the hope that people could supply some bulk items for his small classes.
“With many of the women in informal settlements not having work and unable to find jobs we have decided to take matters into our own hands.
This morning we had a workshop about what it takes to run a business. How to buy in bulk, repacking and then selling food items for a profit. Starting with the most in demand products – maize, rice, and sugar.
Most spaza shops only sell bigger 1kg / 2kg packs and sadly this is not always afforable for low or no income families.
We worked out cost per bag, the best asking price in comparison with small spaza shops in the area, and how much profit they will make.
All the ladies have been given an equal opportunity to take part in this initiative and I will continue to advise and support those who can make it work.
If you would like to support this project and make a contribution, please get in touch. At the moment we can use rice, maize and sugar to help get everyone started and to boost their profits a little so they can expand their businesses.”
Stephen hopes to continue their training so if you are able to assist, you can find his contact details here. If you would like to help in other ways, there is still a need for the Winter Jacket and Jersey drive. Or using his contact details linked a few sentences back, he can advise which projects currently need support.
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