Creating opportunities
A HELPING HAND: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PROVIDES SUPPORT TO ARTISANS
Organisation set to launch in Johannesburg.
What started out as a single act to help one artisan from the townships has grown into an idea with potential to impact thousands of struggling artisans from low-income communities in South Africa and beyond.
In 2008, Joshua Cox provided his friend – a skilled artisan from Diepsloot – with business cards and a reference letter.
This added credibility enabled Simon to secure regular paving and painting contracts of up to R40 000. This inspired Joshua to set up Trade-Mark, a non-profit social enterprise aimed at providing similar support to artisans from low-income communities throughout South Africa.
Trade-Mark has gone from supporting just four artisans in the Somerset West area to working with 16 artisans from the greater Cape Town region.
Not only do they connect these painters, pavers, tilers and carpenters to potential clients from the more affluent suburbs, they now also provide training in partnership with The Business Place in Philippi.
The 18-month long business builder training programme is aimed at setting up tradespeople for success by equipping them with all the skills they need to succeed in both business and in life.
The tradesmen also have access to personal business mentors to help meet their specific needs.
The team in Cape Town has also grown with the appointment of a young intern to handle clients’ inquiries.
“We believe every aspect of our work should be adding social value,” says Joshua. “Helping launch young graduates into the world of work is just one more way we can do so.”
The expansion is not limited to Cape Town alone. A general manager for Gauteng has joined the team and will be setting up a branch of Trade-Mark in northern Johannesburg over the coming weeks.
Scaling up the model beyond Cape Town is possible through financial support from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), who are partnering with Trade-Mark for the four years it will take for the organisation to become self-sufficient as a social enterprise.
“We are excited to set up in Gauteng,” says Joshua. “We know the need is huge and with all the infrastructure development taking place we expect big things from our operation up there.”
www.trade-mark.org/ contact.