By Silulo Foundation
Township economies are often spoken about in terms of their challenges—youth unemployment, limited access to finance, and infrastructure shortfalls. Rarely do we pause long enough to celebrate the entrepreneurs who rise above those hurdles or the partnerships that help them scale.
The Silulo Foundation’s second annual Grant & Awards Ceremony, held at our Dunoon Business & Career Centre, offered exactly that opportunity: an afternoon dedicated to triumph, collaboration, and the power of purposeful capital.
The Power of Purposeful Capital
Thanks to The Coca-Cola Company and the Urban Poverty & Business Initiative (UPBI), six Silulo entrepreneurs each received a catalytic USD 1,000 UPBI Microgrant—funding deliberately small enough to be nimble, yet large enough to unlock the next phase of growth. These grants are awarded only to entrepreneurs who have successfully completed at least 25 of the UPBI 80-steps part of the Silulo Foundations ten-month Entrepreneurship Programme. In other words, money follows measurable progress.
“Capital should meet commitment halfway,” notes Luvuyo Rani, social entrepreneur, co-founder of Silulo Ulutho Technologies, and the driving force behind the Foundation. “When an entrepreneur invests late nights, their own savings, and untold courage, a microgrant isn’t a hand-out; it is a hand-up.”
Introducing the 2025 Microgrant Recipients
1. Xoleka Kambi – KHS Clinic Sector: Community Healthcare Xoleka’s community-based health clinic offers affordable wellness and preventative care in Dunoon. She recently added an aesthetics clinic to make luxury skincare accessible to township residents who would normally travel far—and pay far more—for similar treatments. The microgrant will help kit out the new facility.
2. Lubabalo Charles Nqeme – YEBO Educare Sector: Early Childhood Development YEBO Educare provides early learning and after-care for children aged 18 months to six years, aiming to cultivate confident, curious youngsters. The microgrant strengthens Lubabalo’s mission to nurture confident, capable youngsters in a safe and joyful environment
3. Carmelita Shaw – Wundalash Sector: Beauty Training & Supplies Carmelita teaches advanced lash-extension, nail artistry, and brow techniques while supplying township salons beauty products. The seed capital will allow Carmelita to upscale her training facilities and equip more beauticians to run sustainable businesses.
4. Mawande Molosi – HMP Consulting Sector: Youth Employment Services from CV crafting to career coaching and job readiness workshops, HMP equips
township your and job seeker with the soft and hard skills they need to secure meaningful work. The grant moves Mawande closer to his vision of township-based career centres that act as gateways to employment.
5. Kwako Tshetu – Kwako’s Services Sector: Cleaning & Catering Kwako is the founder of a growing cleaning and catering enterprise. With the microgrant, Kwako will invest in specialised couch- and carpet-cleaning equipment while broadening his catering offering of convenient takeaway meals for working family.
6. Matina Kasirori – The Luxe Beauté Co. Sector: Premium Beauty & Training Matina offers luxury facials, nail care, and skincare treatments while providing accredited courses to beauticians. She will invest the grant money to further her beauty training to emerging entrepreneurs.
The Michael H. Boyce Award: Honouring Courage and Discipline
In parallel with the microgrants, the Michael H. Boyce Award—named after the decorated US Marine Corps Colonel whose life embodied honour, courage, and steadfast faith—recognises a Silulo entrepreneur who has overcome exceptional adversity.
This year’s laureate is Tamsanqa Abel Ndayi, founder of Qwathi Electrical & Projects, based in Cape Town provides safe, reliable, and sustainable solutions in both construction and electrical services.
Partnership in Action
The Silulo model stands on three pillars—entrepreneurship training, skills development, and community upliftment—but it is partnership that binds those pillars together. It is thanks to partners and sponsors such as
· The Coca-Cola Company: A total of $6000 grants as part of UPBI Microgrant Programme to emerging entrerpeneurs
· UPBI the Silulo Foundation entrepreneurship acadamei partner, but also the facilitator of our 80step programme, and mocro grant gfailyators
· Astron Energy Development Fund the Silulo Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme partner in DuNoon, funding DuNoon enrolled ebtrerpeneurs and the Dunoon business and tranin center.
· R-Labs South Africa and the University of the Western Cape’s Centre for Entrepreneurship & Innovation participate as panel members on the day but are also part of our stall of partners.
· Spur Corporation keeps our guests fed so that inspiration can flow without a rumbling stomach interrupting the dialogue.
Collectively these partners create what economists call an entrepreneurial ecosystem—but what our founders call family.
Why Social Entrepreneurs Matter
At the heart of this ecosystem beats the vision of Luvuyo Rani. Two decades ago, Luvuyo sold refurbished computers from the boot of his car; today he leads a social enterprise that train and mentor local township businesses and lead global social entrepreneurs and institutions to change the dynamics of township economies across Africa. His genius is not merely in spotting opportunity but in convening fit-for-purpose partnerships—aligning corporate CSR budgets, academic expertise, and local talent in a way that produces tangible outcomes rather than glossy reports.
“I am often told township entrepreneurs need role models,” Luvuyo reflected during the ceremony. “I believe they need visible pathways. Partnerships like these lay down that path, brick by brick.”
Join the Journey
Whether you are a corporate looking to align CSI budgets with measurable impact, an academic eager to place students in real-world consulting projects, or a volunteer who simply wants to mentor the next Xoleka or Tamsanqa, there is a place for you at the Silulo Foundation.
Visit silulofoundation.org to donate, partner, or simply learn more about our work. Because when resilience meets partnership, remarkable things happen—not just for individual entrepreneurs, but for entire communities.
Silulo Foundation – Empowering Entrepreneurs. Bridging Opportunity Gaps. Building Futures.
Image: Silulo Foundation.
