Projects | SEED - Stellenbosch Entrepreneur and Enterprise Development

SEED has initiated and delivered a range of innovative projects focussed on advancing economic growth through entrepreneurial development. Training and mentoring form a central part of our services, and over the past 13 years our approach has evolved to also include trade development and market integration support for the enterprises in our network. Economic innovation and leadership development define our overall approach to a stronger and more sustainable society. The list below is a summary of our projects to date.

Township and Village Social Enterprise (2018 and ongoing)

Township and Village is a sustainable tourism social enterprise and economic development incubator. The social enterprise was founded by SEED as a sustainable way to promote economic development in marginalised communities. Township and Village is in partnership with Stellenbosch Municipality and Visit Stellenbosch.

Township and Village develops tourism products, provide training for entrepreneurs and procures trade opportunities on behalf of participants. Our range of heritage tours and events offer visitors the opportunity to experience the traditional communities of Stellenobch through the eyes and hearts of its own people.

There are currently 50 entrepreneurs in the programme on various different levels of training and activation. These entrepreneurs include tour guides, crafters, performers, hospitality providers and caterers. The communities that we work in includes Kayamandi, Pniel, Kylemore, Stellenbosch Central and the Stellenbosch University campus.

Our development services includes formalisation of entrepreneurs, training of tour guides, mentoring and ongoing development of professionalism and service standards. Our market activation services include a comprehensive marketing and sales system to procure tourism sales and disburse to service providing entrepreneurs. Our objective is to achieve long term financial sustainability through the social enterprise model that we have developed.

Digital Entrepreneur Empowerment Programme (2017-2018)

The Digital Entrepreneur Empowerment Programme (DEEP) promoted digital and information communications and technology (ICT) activation for entrepreneurs, to enable them to bridge the communication and marketing divide that separates the formal and informal economies.The DEEP programme empowered entrepreneurs of all digital skills levels through an integrated development programme that included training, mentoring and digital marketing service provision. The main objective of the programme was to get active businesses established online and to empower entrepreneurs to capitalise on this presence and to grown their concerns.

Kayamandi Creative District (2016-2017)

The Kayamandi Creative District (KCD) was initiated to forge the way to create a sustainable tourism social enterprise. We took a strategic decision to start moving towards more self-sustainable enterprise development interventions.The project was born out of the need to develop heritage tourism products in Stellenbosch as much of Township life and culture remains hidden to mainstream travellers, yet there is such a big desire and curiosity to learn more about the African way of life. The KCD project evolved into what is now our flagship project, know as the Township and Village social enterprise.

Cape Winelands Municipality SEED Fund Programme (2011 – 2015)

SEED was selected as the service provider to design, develop and implement the 2011/2012 Cape Winelands District Municipality Entrepreneurial SEED Fund Programme. During the 12 month programme the 88 selected entrepreneurs had the opportunity to participate in 104 hours of classroom training that focused on building foundational business principles, financial literacy, marketing, selling and personal behaviour skills, and creating successful work systems and processes around all aspects of the business. The entrepreneurs also had the opportunity of at least 12 hours (more hours were available for critical business interventions such as tender applications) of one-on-one mentoring with a dedicated mentor, as well 3 hours of coaching with a certified accountant.

SEED was again selected as the service provider for the programme for the financial years of 2012 – 2015. The foundation of the programme expanded to included 3 accredited training modules as well as monthly coaching and support. The SEED programme provided successful results in that of the 261 businesses that participated, 73% of the businesses implemented new and important business processes and systems with 68% improving their business turnover during the course of the intervention.

The SEED programme was uniquely designed for CWDM and provided a flexible alternative as programmes such as business support (non-selected candidates) and small farmer support assistance were added in 2012 and continued through 2015. The benefit of having the programme for multiple years is that entrepreneurs were able to be supported on a rolling basis, with some entrepreneurs in such critical growth stage that they were able to participate for two years.

Craft Create Programme (2013)

SEED launched a collaborative program with Cause Development Agency called Craft Create, which provided training and mentoring to 25 female entrepreneurs from the craft industry. The programme provided a transfer of business knowledge, personal development, and creativity training that was then practically applied in producing craft items toward immediate income. The programme curriculum included creative design, behaviour for business, practical costing applications, banking, and invoicing.

Cape Breeders Association Programme (2012)

In 2013 SEED partnered with Cape Breeders Association and successfully designed, developed, and implemented a micro entrepreneur programme that was offered to 100 entry level groomsmen as employed in the breeding industry. The intention of the programme was to offer training to the target members, to increase their basic business skills and promoting them on a programme of a small scale shareholding opportunity within the breeding industry.

Finland South Africa Association (2007 – 2013)

In 2006 the Finland South Africa Association called for an organisation to manage a new initiative that would provide training and mentoring support to emerging micro entrepreneurs throughout South Africa. The strategic objective of the program was to create and administer a business support program that would focus on the development of micro enterprises and that would nurture their growth from the informal to formal market.

In 2007 the FSAA organisation selected The Greater Stellenbosch Development Trust (GSDT) to administer this important initiative and thereby created the GSDT partner project entitled Stellenbosch Entrepreneur and Enterprise Development (SEED). The FSAA/SEED programme allowed for over 800 people to participate in micro business training and mentoring support over the seven year period.