GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

MEET A FEARLESS MOTHER AND DAUGHTER TEAM WHO WANT

NOTHING MORE THAN

TO HELP YOUNG GIRLS LEARN, EXPLORE AND BETTER

THEMSELVES, WRITES SHIRLEY LE GUERN

Aunique mother and daughter entrepreneur partnership has created Girltivity, a company that creates activity boxes that entertain little girls while also educating them in critical subjects including mathematics, science, engineering and technology.

According to managing director of the uMhlanga based company, Romona Mahadeo, everything that’s needed to delight and inspire young girls between the ages of three and 12 arrives once a month, personally addressed to each young recipient.

“Each Girltivity Box is thoughtfully designed by educational experts to encourage creativity, curiosity and support literacy development in a fun way. It includes a 24-page Girltivity Activity Book showcasing a unique story with five to 10 hands-on STEAMED UP activities,” explains Romona.

The STEAMED UP acronym stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics, Entrepreneurship, Design, Understanding and Practice.

The boxes also include a creative play prop, a featured character trait that helps her to succeed, practical tips for parents to easily nurture that trait, experiments, games and collectables.

Entrepreneurship runs deep in the Mahadeo family. Mom was born and raised in KwaZulu-Natal and studied through the University of South Africa and the then Natal Technikon. “I started my BComm degree at 18 and opened my first business at 21. Our business grew and now my husband and I run a management company in uMhlanga focusing on accounting,

taxation and business systems,” she says.

The launch of Girltivity in October 2019 was inspired by Kiara who conceptualised the Girltivity box. Romona – who explains that her daughter loves making boxes for family and friends and believes that pretty boxes filled with exciting goodies makes people happy – says that the whole idea started when the then five-year-old Kiara asked her mother to tell her about the first South African female in space.

“I told her there has been no South African female who had been to space, and she excitedly replied, ‘We have to tell all the girls they can do it. They can be the first in space’. The more I researched female role models, women in science, technology, engineering and maths constantly popped up. I reviewed statistics about women and was disappointed.”

Romona wants to challenge stereotypes, celebrate female achievers and make sure that her girls grow up into confident young women.

“The whole family discusses female role models and plays lots of games which translate into STEAMED UP activities. We

TOP LEFT: Mother and daughter entrepreneurs, Romona and Kiara Mahadeo. ABOVE: Kiara Mahadeo with the books featuring characters she has helped create. BELOW LEFT: Kiara Mahadeo with one of the Girltivity activity boxes.

consult experts and content creators about activities, lessons to be learnt and even how to package items. Kiara is tasked with creating the characters and games, and the illustrator brings our ideas to life. Kiara has the final say on a lot of decisions when it comes to content creation as we have learnt to trust her opinion.

On the practical side, she says she has a “dream team” to help create and then pack the boxes.

“My husband sources quality products from around the world and makes certain we follow the budget. Mireya, my youngest daughter, is always excited to play and has earned the spot as number one product tester. Once our editors finalise a box, we take it to print. Then the whole family and many helpers get started with packaging. I pretty much manage everyone and everything else,” she says.

Girltivity ships activity boxes countrywide with Cape Town, followed by Johannesburg, being the biggest selling regions; and every month the company donates R5 from each box sold to a non-profit organisation helping women and girls.

However, Romona has her sights set even higher. “We are working on projects that expand our reach so that more girls can achieve their highest potential. We have a girl empowerment clothing range to help spread our message to more kids. Kids learn from seeing and, hopefully, it will change the narrative as they see more fearless female role models in their everyday lives,” she says. * FOR MORE INFO 081 799 5302; hello@girltivity.co.za

ADAPTIVE, RESILIENT, FUTURE-READY.

Ensure your child is learning in a modern way that is relevant and equips them with the tools they need to stay ahead of any challenges that come their way. A Personal System of Instruction (PSI) and a blended learning approach to education provide a dynamic and innovative platform for your child to reach their full potential at their own pace. Whether they are working from home or on the Redwood premises, they can work confidently without the fear of falling behind.

To find out more information, contact Redwood College La Lucia on 031 572 7182 or email info@redwoodschools.co.za

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ADD A DOLLOP OF HAPPINESS TO YOUR ICED COFFEE WITH THIS MAPLE CINNAMON ICED COFFEE TREAT

INGREDIENTS:

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BUILDING THRIVING COMMUNITIES

PART OF OUR MANDATE AS A RESPONSIBLE AGRI-PROCESSING BUSINESS IN SOUTH AFRICA IS TO POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN ECONOMY, AND IN TURN THE GENERAL WELL-BEING OF SOCIETY AROUND WHERE WE OPERATE. TO SHOW WE’RE NOT ALL TALK, HERE ARE JUST A FEW INITIATIVES WE ARE INVOLVED IN TO HELP BUILD THRIVING COMMUNITIES.

• In partnership with the South African National Treasury Jobs Fund, we have provided capital for the Small Scale Development Project to develop 3 000 hectares of small-scale grower cane land on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal –

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• To date we have donated 150 libraries to 25 schools in rural KZN communities with the latest library in Merebank benefitting over 900 students from Grades R to 7.

• Illovo Sugar SA has assisted with the establishment

of +50 black commercial farmers and works with 3 000 out growers, 2 456 of which are small-scale farmers.

We also provide extensive technical, financial and capacity-building support to small-scale growers and new entrants in the industry with the intention of seeing them increase their yield year on year. • Our land reform programme began in 1996 and since then we have sold 55% of

Illovo farms to black growers.