1956 Magazine Sustainability

CONTENTS

ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY

WHY SMEs MATTER FOR AFRICA'S PROGRESS

Author: Ameenah Gurib-Fakim - Former President of the Republic of Mauritius

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF "US"

Author: Ameera Faber

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WHY DO THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) MATTER FOR YOU

Author: Kantha Naicker

BEING INCLUSIVE IN TECHNOLOGY

Author: Sinal Govender

MY WOMANPRENEUR EXPERIENCE WITH SOURCING FUNDING

Author: Dr Hajira Mashego

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TEAM SPRINGBOTS ARE BACK WITH A BANG

Author: Kayla Naicker

HOW A YOUNG DURBANITE’S GREEN ECONOMY VISION IS TAKING ON THE WORLD

Author: Kimsha and the crayfish

UNITED NATIONS SMEs AND WOMENPRENEURSHIP

Author: Ntsiki Mkhize

Author: Rusana Philander

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Author:

1956

The Rock || The Woman

9 August, 1956 -South Africa; 20 000 women from different races and background stood united against the pass law that would limit the movement of black women

Determined but orderly, women from all parts of South Africa, some coming from as far as Cape Town, marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to prevent an injustice that they could foresee would impact generations to come To this, they chanted "Wathint' Abafazi,

Wathint' Imbokodo You strike a woman, you strike a rock"

Everything about the 1956 march resonates with Who we are. What does "Wathint' Abafazi, Wathint' Imbokodo" mean to us? Rocks are the strongest foundation to build on. As we build, with our focus on Inclusion, Gender Integration and Diversity to be realized, our foundation must be solid and never wavering

ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY

"Research shows that where women-owned businesses thrive, the community wins. The country’s GDP grows and the global economy benefits. In places where women’s entrepreneurship is restricted or limited, the opposite happens individuals, communities, countries and the global economy miss out on unrealised economic gains"

- Aida Diarra, Senior Vice President and Head of SubSaharan Africa at Visa.

The impact and the socio-economic contribution by women owned businesses, whether intentional or not, is so vast that backing women owned businesses just makes sense. When the UN developed and adopted the 17 sustainable goals, it shone a spotlight on the disparity in the support and opportunities provided for between women owned businesses Vs. their male counterpart. This slow take up however has not slowed down the rise of women owned businesses;

whether the trigger was passion or necessity, the positive impact has been undeniably proven. At her core, a woman is a multiplier and a nurturer. Sustainability will only be achieved through the intentional focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Gender Integration and Reduced Inequalities. It is time the world put their money where their mouth is, and invested in the people who are invested in their generations' future.

WHY SMEs MATTER FOR AFRICA'S PROGRESS

Africa, the world’s second largest continent, is now home to a population of just over 1.3 billion; a youth population with a median age of 18-20; 60% of the world’s arable land and legendary mineral resources. While poverty had declined from 54% in 1990 to 41% in 2015; the rapid population growth of 2.6% has offset these gains resulting in 130 million more people living in poverty. Fighting poverty in Africa is a global concern and the war against poverty must be won at all cost. In this calculus, we are yet to flag the costs of Climate change as Africa will be hit most.

For all of these reasons, the continent needs ‘inclusive and ‘sustained, economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Her population in the coming decades will double to some two billion people, and many of them will be under the age of 18. The World Bank estimates that nearly 11 million graduates land on the job market every year in the continent alone.

Economists report that countries, regions, continents grow faster with younger populations. It's a demographic edge and advantage --but only if those young people are not just being trained but are being properly trained. The most urgent task facing Africa today and for decades ahead is the urgent necessity to create opportunity for this next generation by investing massively in quality education, into the appropriate ecosystem for translating academic research into products, entrepreneurship programs that will help innovators start new businesses and create jobs right here in Africa.

D I D Y O U K N O W ?

"Only 15% of partners in venture capital funds are female."

-WORLD BANK

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF "US"

A U T H O R : A M E E R A F A B E R

I’ve often imagined donning a pair of pants, a tie, cutting my hair, deepening my voice and pretending to be a man. I imagine how much simpler business would be. I am not the first woman to have thought this, and this theme is observed in stories throughout the ages. Films like Yentl: Barbara Streisand, cuts hair, pretends to be a man so that she can go to university; Mulan steals her father’s armor, bandages up her breasts, and goes off to war to fight as a man for the honor of her family.

As all of the tales go, these women, pretending to be men, thrive in the world of men until they fall in love. Or rather, until a man falls in love with them. And blows their entire plan out of the water. Today, most of us may not be physically pretending to be men, but there is a trend in the business world for women to behave like men. This idea has permeated centuries: act like a man in a man’s world and you’ll be respected. And so many of us draw from our masculine energy. Masculine energy is direct, focused, it comes from millennia of men being hunters: single focused, eyes on the prey, linear. And when you want to hit targets, and make profits, a hunter mentality is a winning strategy. When I started my business 14 years ago, I empowered myself with masculine energy and built a business from the ground up.

And when I came home at night, this energy followed me: I was direct, I had unwavering standards, and I managed my home like I managed my business. And what I ended up doing was slowly emasculating my husband. It was not until years later, when I joined a sisterhood of powerful women, that I learnt the power of feminine energy.

Feminine energy is indirect, it flows, it’s curvaceous, it’s soft, it’s nurturing. From the millions of years of being gatherers it’s an adaptation that allows for diffused awareness, expanded perceptions and perspectives, and the ability to abundantly create.

Have you seen that woman walk into a boardroom, a woman who is steeped in feminine energy? She isn’t competing with her masculine counterparts; she is embracing her authenticity. When we are open to receiving with grace, everything we desire is given to us. And so my business strategy has changed, instead of pushing my goals, I open myself up to receiving, understanding that I am worthy. Worthy because I know my craft, worthy because my product is excellent and worthy because I am me. The sustainable development of business starts with the authentic and sustainable development of us.

D I D Y O U K N O W ?

-WORLD BANK

"Women-led companies that do receive VC funding receive less than half the amount of their male counterparts."

WHY DO THE UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS MATTER FOR YOU ?

more women are serving in parliament and positions of leadership, and laws are being reformed to advance gender equality, many challenges remain Some discriminatory laws and social norms remain pervasive, women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of political leadership, and 1 in 5 women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 report experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner within a 12-month period The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are reversing the limited progress that has been made on gender equality and women’s rights

Social Development Goals (SDGs) 5 aims to achieve gender equality by ending all forms of discrimination, violence and any harmful practices against women and girls in the public and private spheres. It also calls for the full participation of women and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of political and economic decision-making.

As Professional Accountants we have a critical role in “counting what matters” beyond simply financial reporting. The SDGs are change instruments that demand better measurement and high-quality information which makes the global accountancy profession vital to their implementation, and success Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world

Whilst there has been progress over the last decades: more girls are going to school, fewer girls are forced into early marriage,

Women play a disproportionate role in responding to the virus and are hit harder by the economic impacts of COVID-19, as they disproportionately work in insecure labour markets. Emerging data shows that, since the outbreak of the pandemic, violence against women and girls – and particularly domestic violence – has intensified. While we continue to work to address cultural structures that deprive women of several opportunities, we do not have the luxury to wait for things to change. The 2023 target to achieve gender equality is not on track. At the current rate, parity will not be achieved for another 140 years

We need to actively find ways to get around the issues we face as women in our roles as carers, entrepreneurs, educators, rolemodels, leaders, volunteers, and activists It is obligatory on everyone to support women at every level. Finding inspiration from my multiple roles and merging them with my passion has resulted in small but continuous impact Being the change we want to see not only motivates us to take action within the only thing we have control over in the world: ourselves, but it also motivates us to consistently strive to make a difference

A U T H O R : K A N T H A N A I C K E R

D I D Y O U K N O W ?

-WORLD BANK

"Women make up 51% of the population yet receive just 2.8% of VC funding available worldwide."

BEING INCLUSIVE IN TECHNOLOGY

A U T H O R : S I N A L G O V E N D E R

I have always found it to be both challenging and rewarding to solve complex problems.

The most recent of these endeavours is co-founding life.file, an online tool that helps people get organised and live happier lives. Each one of us faces significant legal and financial milestones in our lives (having a child, getting married, getting divorced, buying a house and dying just being some of them). But no one is really teaching us how to be functional adults. Until now.

Despite a positive response from the public since we launched, the start-up business journey hasn’t been an easy one. At most events, purporting to cater to start-ups, the majority of those attending happen to be men. This applies not only to the start-ups

This applies not only to the start-ups themselves but also representatives from VC firms and corporate partners.

Even though diverse business have been shown over and over again to deliver better results across all industries, there is still a massive gap between genders especially in tech. By increasing the number of women working in this field, we can collectively create better systems and procedures and ensure that the things we are creating are reflective of the society in which we live.

If we are truly going to create a more inclusive society we need better financial support for women starting from grant funding for young women wanting to pursue studies in STEM and more specific funding and corporate partnerships for for female founders.

D I D Y O U K N O W ?

-WORLD BANK

"Companies with gender and ethnically diverse executive teams or founding teams are consistently positively correlated with higher profitability than their peers."

MY WOMANPRENEUR EXPERIENCE WITH SOURCING FUNDING

A U T H O R : D R H A J I R A M A S H E G O

I listen to the state of the nation address annually, and without fail each year the state’s priority of providing access to funding for black owned small businesses is emphasised upon. That priority is always followed by the emphasis that women-owned businesses are top of government’s priority Each year the “maybe this time” ray of hope rises within me and each year I go knocking again on the doors of all the entities that implement government’s SMME funding policies Unfortunately, each year I return empty handed.

South Africa’s policy of empowerment of womenpreneurs is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 which aims at achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls This is a critical goal. As my company, Fitness Junction has a woman founder, is 100% Black-owned, 77% women-owned, and has a proven record of socio-economic empowerment and job creation in townships, I am led to believe that funding a business like Fitness Junction is of utmost priority. Still, my reality has been quite the opposite. I resigned from work and established Fitness Junction in 2018 using my pension savings

and when I ran out of money, I approached friends and relatives to buy equity in the company

The company has been bootstrapped since its inception. It has grown organically (even surviving the six-month lockdown period that was imposed on the gym industry), but I have applied for multiple developmental start-up funding instruments, Covid-19 business assistance instruments, and growth funding instruments and to date, I have not had any luck. During this four-year period, Fitness Junction has been through a business incubator and a business accelerator programme with the hopes that being compliant and funding-ready would assist. However, even after being the top performer and winning the SAB Foundation Tholoana Award in 2021, all doors are still closed.

The ray of hope remains shining, though. Tomorrow might bring the breakthrough!

D I D Y O U K N O W ?

"1% - Rise in EBITDA for every 10% increase in gender and racial diversity on the senior executive team."

-WORLD BANK

WHY SMEs MATTER FOR AFRICA'S PROGRESS

This will be the most powerful antidote to the old ways of doing things. Africa’s progress will depend on unleashing economic growth – not just for the few at the top, but for the many, because an essential element of dignity is being able to live a decent life. That begins with a job and that requires trade and investment. Formal Intra African trade is reported to be around 19% as opposed to over 50% in the European Union. Real economic partnerships have to be a good deal for Africa – they have to create jobs and capacity for Africans. Africa’s young population also need to recognize the importance of micro and small and medium-sized enterprises with access to financial services as a means of promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth and employment.

Small and medium-sized enterprises account for more than half of the world's GDP, employ almost two-thirds of the global work force and are the backbone of all our economies, representing a key source of employment and value addition. They are also a driving force of innovation, knowledge diffusion and social inclusion and broader choice to the marketplace.

SMEs have an important role to play for boosting growth and achieving more inclusive globalized. SMEs face specific challenges in participating in and reaping the benefits of a globalized and digital economy. Their contributions depend to a great degree on conducive framework conditions, and on access to strategic resources, such as skills, knowledge networks, and finance. They represent great opportunities for development both regional and continental.

TEAM SPRINGBOTS ARE BACK WITH A BANG

A U T H O R : K A Y L A N A I C K E R

South Africa’s first all-girl Robotics team, the SpringBots, represented the country on a global scale at the FIRST Gloabl Challenge which took place in Geneva, Switzerland in October

The team consists of team captain Kayla Naicker, Francina Mphaka, Matome Shwatja, Dineo Sepaela, Precy Mohlala, Bongiwe Ndlovu and Tania Matsemela

These young ladies aged 15 to 18 years, in grades 9 – 12, have a deep passion for STEM. Our team mentors also include Jared Reddy, Mikhaeel Reddy and Ahmeel Reddy. The team aims to spread the knowledge of STEM and robotics to communities that are not traditionally exposed to such.

The FIRST Robotics World Championships is an annual Robotics competition that invites teams from around the world to compete on an international stage, whilst raising awareness about global problems and technological developments The team had the privilege to compete in the competition in Switzerland from the 13th to 16th of October. The team had fun meeting new

people from across the world, engaging with other STEM enthusiasts and spending time abroad.

The team was founded by Mikhaeel Reddy in 2018, and has since then prospered and won international awards for their work. Each year the team selects high school students to be apart of the team, who work together to compete in various challenges. The SpringBots have created opportunities for the youth to learn more about STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) The team aspires to uplift communities and empower the youth to change their country for the better.

As an NGO, the team relies entirely on sponsors in order to continue competing in competitions and making a difference. Despite not having endless resources or funding, the team still perseveres and give their all in order to continue inspiring others and making their country proud.

Social Media handles:

Facebook: SpringBotsSouthAfrica

Instagram: springbotssouthafrica

YouTube: SpringBotsSouthAfrica Twitter: @SpringbotS

D I D Y O U K N O W ?

"15x Additional sales revenue for companies with the highest levels of racially and gender diversity than those at the lowest end."

-WORLD BANK

HOW A YOUNG DURBANITE’S GREEN ECONOMY VISION IS TAKING ON THE WORLD

A U T H O R : K I M S H A A N D T H E C R A Y F I S H

It’s the youth of South Africa who are among those most at risk of the impacts of climate change. Their health, education, and safety are being threatened by crises such as water scarcity and pollution of our soil, water, and air, says UNICEF1. And yet, despite this stormy outlook, a silver lining is appearing in the form of young people committed to changing their destiny and that of this embattled country.

“It is surely up to the youth to stand together in the sense of Ubuntu to ignite and create the changes needed, to assume leadership roles and to employ green feasible solutions.” Words of such gravitas come not from a seasoned politician but from Kimsha Sewpal, a 29year-old student from Durban in KwaZuluNatal, who adds that she has spent much of her life tackling environmental and human rights issues in her schools, community and places of work.

This graduate of Geography and Environmental Management from the University of KwaZulu-Natal is currently studying towards an Honours degree in Environmental Science. And now, Kimsha's dream of having a wider effect is becoming a reality as she competes in the renowned ClimateLaunchpad competition with her innovative green company plan against hundreds of others.

Currently, in its ninth year this global competition incentivises climate-smart entrepreneurs to take their business ideas further and gives them access to tools and resources to develop into impactful organisations that address climate change.

Kimsha’s journey to this point started in December 2021, when she was selected to participate in the

six-month Manzipreneur Ideation Incubator Programme, offered by the Youth Bridge Trust (YBT) to help unemployed graduates transition to entrepreneurial careers in the water sector.

The initiative was funded by the Water Research Commission (WRC) under the Water Graduate Employment Programme Phase II, which falls under the Presidential Employment Stimulus initiative. During the e-learning portion of the programme, Manzipreneur participants were exposed to a broad range of challenges relating to the Sustainable Development Goals and became familiar with solutions across six green industries, with the primary focus on the water sector.

The masterclasses and coaching that Kimsha and 300 other participants received also proved invaluable, particularly when it came to the ‘Dragon’s Den’ event at which participants had the opportunity to pitch their business concept to a panel of industry experts. Kimsha placed third at the July 2022 event, impressing the panel with her novel and ambitious idea of harvesting stormwater from urban drainage systems to supply a freshwater aquaponics operation set up to breed two alien invasive species, namely marron crayfish and water hyacinth, while growing leafy greens. Called Nqoba Green Solutions, the operation

would concurrently address the challenges of water and food scarcity, the decline of indigenous rock lobster populations through overfishing, and the capture of carbon through the cultivation of plants. The operation would also provide employment and help boost the local economy.

It was based on the success of her pitch that Kimsha was encouraged to enter the ClimateLaunchpad competition – and, to her surprise, she placed second in the National round. She then represented South Africa in a Regional round against other African countries and was selected as a wild card, placed among Africa’s top 17 contestants.

Nqoba Green Solutions is now one of the concepts representing Africa in the Global Grand Finale round.

How does it feel to have come this far in the competition? Kimsha admits she does feel the pressure. “But having confidence, discipline, passion and perseverance definitely gives rise to wings,” she counters. “Having those wings enables anyone to soar beyond their limits and doubts, leaving the weight behind. Knowing your purpose and moving towards achieving it is always progress – even if you fail.”

Sharing Kimsha’s positivity and hope for a greener future is YBT’s acting Executive Director, Ntsiki Gumbe. She believes that, given their stake in a sustainable future and their interest in technology, the youth are often wellpositioned to take up entrepreneurial opportunities the green economy. “But they need green knowledge and skills as well as technical knowledge and support to ideate and launch their small business ideas,” she adds, “which is why we’re so excited about our Green Economy Academy and related programmes.” Youth-owned enterprises that complete the programme are better positioned to enter corporate supply chains, especially as the private sector moves towards emerging ESG and net-zero targets. “This will lead to an inclusive green economy that’s able to address our country’s poverty and inequality problems as well as youth employment, which currently sits at around 75%.”

Time will tell whether Kimsha and her crayfish make it to the ClimateLaunchpad podium when the Finale event is hosted in November. But, regardless of the outcome, this young South African is grateful for the growth she’s been afforded over the past months, and intent on continuing her work to create a meaningful impact within society, the economy, and the environment. “I hope to always fearlessly believe in myself and my continual growth,” she says, “and to give hope to others who are like myself.” More than that, one cannot surely ask.

The justice-cause of the Imizizi Fund is to #ChangetheNarrative by increasing diversity and inclusion within venture capitalism, technology, and entrepreneurship.

UNITED NATIONS SDGs AND WOMENPRENEURSHIP

A U T H O R : N T S I K I M K H I Z E

“a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction”

“A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change”, this was a statement shared by IWD in 2020 during the celebrations of International Women’s Day under their theme choose to challenge. This was also when we chose to challenge the status quo and launch a digital magazine, MentHer Magazine, a year after launching our mentorship network, MentHer. As someone who had worked with entrepreneurs and women in different settings, I knew the need and importance of building supportive networks for women to go into business, and more so for women whose life and business mission is to ‘do good.’

Women dominate the third sector, often being the founders and most employed in charities, non-profits, and non-government organisations. Central to the mission of MentHer, is supporting female social entrepreneurs,

which means working with women in these spaces to explore alternative business models that allow them to run profitable mission-led businesses.

Prior to starting MentHer,I had the opportunity to complete my Masters in Social Innovation in Glasgow. In my time there, I was surprised when attending a ‘women in business’ networking to hear some of the many complaints I’ve heard from women at similar events in South Africa.

John C. Crosby defines mentorship as, “a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction”. According to FSB, 70% of small businesses with a mentor survive five years more than those without. Yet mentors and mentorship programmes seem to still elude many. More so challenging is finding a mentor when you’re trying to launch an impact business. Finding a community of like-minded social entrepreneurs is also rare. MentHer aims to inspire, connect and empower through our magazine, podcast, Social Impact Founders membership community, and master classes. A key focus for any businesses seeking to create impact is to align with the sustainable development goals, and we’ve chosen to focus on SDG 5, gender equality; SDG 8, economic development and SDG 17, partner with the goals. In the two years we have been operating, we have reached 170 female-led social enterprises and 40 mentors, of which 90% are across Africa. We’ve hosted more than 20 master classes, had over 100 conversations and over 10 000 readers, with a Social Impact Founders List and Social Impact Summit – we’ve slowly but surely made an impact.

Even with our increasing levels of participation and recognition, many women still struggle with mentorship and we ourselves have yet been able to raise the kind of capital to allow us to test and launch technology that can reach

more entrepreneurs and allow us to facilitate meaningful transactions to create access to networks, markets and funding.

We’ve been able to find a membership model that works, but also recognise that we work in a market and with a segment that has to prioritise family and business needs over paying for mentorship (as most women do).

We continue to challenge ourselves in exploring various collaborations and partnerships that will allow a more coercive and supportive ecosystem. Despite the barriers and challenges that exist for female start-ups, what we know and have seen, is that female entrepreneurs know how to strive in the face of adversity and keep pushing long after others have given up and continue to regenerate the flame for a passion for people and the planet, and we plan to be right there with them supporting them to innovate, launch and get it done.

DIGITALIZATION IMPACT IN THE MEDIA SECTOR

A U T H O R : R U S A N A P H I L A N D E R

Education is one of the UN’s SDG goals and I believe that is the role the media has to play more in educating people through storytelling I think that platforms that produce content can still make a good profit The systems that are being used by many media outlets are outdated The sector needs more investment as some media houses who did it are showing good profits today

The renowned New York Times is an example of good content that never goes out of fashion This is a quote by the New York Times: “Thanks to our journalism, our digital revenue towers above that of any news competitor. Recent media accounts have made clear the gap: Last year, The Times brought in almost $500 million in purely digital revenue, which is far more than the digital revenues reported by many other leading publications (including BuzzFeed, The Guardian and The Washington Post) combined.

Before the big explosion of social media, we in the media industry were warned about the disruption of course, but looking back I don’t think so anymore.

Social media had a bad effect on newspapers, many newspapers in Cape Town today, is almost unrecognisable. These were newspapers which set the debate for topical issues, today many of these debates are happening on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. But there has become a great need for great and reliable content And because as journalists you work very closely with readers you are more in touch with what they want when purchasing any publication

In retrospect I think social media can have many advantages Never before could journalists interact with readers like today As journalists and content developers we know exactly what our readers want to read about I think it is ultimately of how we integrate all these different media platforms that will determine the future of how a new media company will look like

People’s access to affordable and clean energy has always been a contentious issue in South Africa. This is also where the media played a role in reporting on such stories. Especially with the problems the country is experiencing with Eskom. As no country’s economy can grow if it has an unreliable energy sector.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

A U T H O R : T H O B I L E M H L O N G O A N D T H A B I S I L E M H L O N G O

Entrepreneurship is extremely important in achieving long-term development. The objectives of sustainable entrepreneurship go beyond the limits of traditional entrepreneurship since sustainable entrepreneurs seek to create a balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and positively impacting society. As sustainable entrepreneurs' enterprises are focused on a more ecologically sustainable environment and economy, entrepreneurship becomes the key to establishing sustainable behaviors and processes within a society.

SMMEs are a major source of growth, innovation, and jobs in Africa and developing nations, and they have the potential to impact several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The entrepreneurial activity’s significance has been entrenched in accomplishing various SDGs including ending poverty in all forms (SDG1), promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all (SDG 8). Reduce inequality within and among countries (SDG 10) As such SDGs emphasize the imperative of broadening access by SMMEs to affordable credit in support of entrepreneurship development and decent job creation, setting out a global consensus that business enterprises should aim for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Parallel to the significance of SMMEs in developing countries is the emerging recognition of women's entrepreneurship due to the critical role women play in global sustainable development. However, despite recent notable progress in strengthening women’s entrepreneurship, significant gender disparities still exist in SMMES. Researchers attribute the gender disparities to the insurmountable challenges women encounter when stepping into the world of entrepreneurship, owning and managing a business still remains a male-dominated territory.

However, despite there being fewer women in entrepreneurship, several studies have found that women are more inclined toward sustainability The Global Gender Gap 2020 Report (World Economic Forum, 2020) highlights the urgency of achieving gender equality. Women entrepreneurs are active agents of change to achieve SDGs by 2030 and there is an increasing imperative to invest in women entrepreneurs as crucial contributors to SDGs goals. Under-utilising women entrepreneurs' potential, by not addressing gender inequality and fostering women's entrepreneurship, we fall short of achieving SDG5 and of empowering women entrepreneurs to contribute to sustainable development.

WHY SMEs MATTER FOR AFRICA'S PROGRESS

But what has really made a difference is the spirit of enterprise and creativity of the entrepreneurs in this sector Nowhere is this spirit of enterprise, this willingness to take risk and an eagerness to strike out on one's own to seek a fortune more in evidence than in our small and medium enterprises sector This is the kind of mindset that we have to inculcate in our youth Risk taking is not taught in books or business schools

Traditionally, SMEs have relied on bank financing But after the economic crisis in 2008, the supply of financing declined and SMEs suffered the most It is recognized that in an economic downturn, supporting SMEs is vital as it also consequently preserves jobs and internal demand Female-owned businesses also warrant special attention because the gender gap in finance affects female-owned businesses very negatively Therefore, it is not a surprise that the average growth rate of women's enterprises is significantly lower than that of SMEs run by men Globally, women are 20% less likely than men to have borrowed formally from a financial institution. This is due in part to a lack of information about women's credit history.

Non-financial issues such as gaps in legal capacity, property rights, and inheritance laws also make it much more difficult for female entrepreneurs to access financing. Experiences in many countries have proven the effectiveness of reforms such as the establishment of credit bureaus and collateral registries for movable assets.

If SMEs are not enabled, people they employ will not reap the benefits of globalization and digitalization, with greater risks of a backlash with serious implications for open and prosperous societies. Partnerships also give SMEs more access to financial services.

This is where the private sector and philanthropists can play a big role. For Africa to leverage her youth with the looming developmental challenges there are many clusters that can emerge such as Innovation in clean tech, biotech, innovative arts and culture, and in information and communication technology.

I will not tire by saying that ‘Africa’s future is in the minds and not in the mines’.

When I quit my permanent job to start a business fulltime, all I knew is that I wanted to make an impact in the industry we service as well as in my community. At the time, I knew nothing about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and I knew little about the National Development Plan (NDP). My business partner and I only had a dream of building an empire that would be sustainable enough to invest back into education, eradication of poverty, and giving women a chance and opportunities that they would not normally be given in other institutions.

Fast forward to 2022, it is mind-boggling to see how every little step we took with an intention of making an impact, is contributing to the bigger sustainability goals of the NDP and the UN SDGs. This is why I strongly believe that when clarity of intentions (vision) is met with actions (results), the impact is inevitable. We then began to imagine how much impact we can have if only we elevate our actions to a much bigger and wider scale, to assist many other small businesses who are also making an impact, domino effect right?

“The 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries"

YEARS AWAY FROM THE TARGET, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT?

“developed and developing - in a global partnership”. 8 years away from target, the Sustainable Development Progress Report 2022 clearly states that the current global economic recovery is fragile and patchy, and we are far from reaching the intended goals Although progress has been made, other factors including the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent war, have had a detrimental effect on the achievement of the SDGs The limited time left ahead does mean that more drastic and accelerated strategies are required to turn things around

I believe that the work ahead is definitely not for one individual, organization, nor country to achieve but it’s for all of us as a collective In the same breadth, the impact achieved by one individual, organization and country is immensely contributing to the bigger SDGs With this in mind, I strongly believe that investment in small businesses that are sustainable will have a much bigger multiplier effect, and will accelerate meeting a lot of the Sustainable Development Goals I’m not talking about just funding for small businesses, I’m talking about putting in place investments whose success can be measured by the domino impact they have in the communities they serve

Imagine an investment in one small business which employs 50 people and supports 5 other small businesses in their supply chain; the quality of life for more than 50 people improves, poverty is eradicated, more children will have access to education, and more awareness of other topics like gender equality, climate action, etc can be addressed through just that one business. Imagine multiplying the same impact by 10 businesses, 100, 1000, etc. As we walk this journey of discovery and research through the 1956 publication, we aim to create more awareness of why investing in entrepreneurship, especially women's entrepreneurship is crucial for economic growth globally, and we are intentional about how Imizizi Evolution can use the time left leading to 2030 to make a “domino impact”.

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

"If women are left out of full participation in 21st-century aspirations, we will not achieve gender equality, nor realize our broader goals for growth, prosperity, and well-being, including scientific advancement."

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim aguribfakim aguribfakim Ameenah Gurib-Fakim www.aguribfakim.org/

G C S K , C S K , P H D , D S C P R O F E S S O R . B I O D I V E R S I T Y S C I E N T I S T . E N T R E P R E N E U R . A U T H O R .

6 T H P R E S I D E N T R E P U B L I C O F M A U R I T I U S

SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR

As a Founding Member of the Pan African Association of African Medicinal Plants, she co-authored the first ever African Herbal Pharmacopoeia She has authored and coedited 30 books, several book chapters and scientific articles in the field of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. She has lectured extensively across the world; is a Member of the Editorial Boards of major journals, has served on Technical and national committees in various capacities Elevated to the Order of the Commander of the Star and Key by the Government of Mauritius in 2008, she has been admitted to the Order of the Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the Government of France in 2010 and is the recipient of 6 DSc (s).

Elected Fellow of several academies and societies, Ms Gurib-Fakim received several international prizes including the 2007 l’Oreal-UNESCO Prize for Women in Science, the African Union Commission Award for Women in Science, 2009. On 05 June 2015, she was sworn in as the 6th President and the First Female President of the Republic of Mauritius and served in that capacity until March 2018.

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has served as the 6th and First Female President of the Republic of Mauritius (2015-2018). Prior to that, she has been the Managing Director of the Centre International de Développement Pharmaceutique (CIDP) Research and Innovation as well as Professor of Organic Chemistry with an endowed chair at the University of Mauritius Since 2001, she has served successively as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Pro Vice Chancellor (2004-2010) She has also worked at the Mauritius Research Council as Manager for Research (1995-1997).

Ms Gurib-Fakim earned a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Surrey (1983) and a PhD from the University of Exeter, UK (1987) During her academic journey, she has participated in several consultation meetings on environmental issues organized by international organizations. Between 20112013, she was elected and served as Chairperson of the International Council for Scientific Union – Regional Office for Africa, and served as an Independent Director on the Board of Barclays Bank of Mauritius Ltd between (20122015)

She was elevated to the Order of GCSK by the Government of Mauritius, and received the Legion d’Honneur from the Government of France in 2016 In 2017, she received both the lifelong achievement award of the United States Pharmacopoeia-CePat Award and the American Botanical Council Norman Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award. In 2018, she received the Order of St George at the Semperopernball, Dresden, Germany In 2019, she received the ‘Trailblazing award for political leadership’ by the World Women Leaders Council in Iceland In 2020, she was elected Honorary President of the International and Engineering Institute and received their 2020 5th IETI Annual Scientific Award. She also received the IAS-COMSTECH Ibrahim Memorial Award from the WIAS in Jordan. In 2021, she received the Benazir Bhutto Lifetime Achievement Award, the Obada Prize, Egypt and the RUFORUM Recognition Prize 2021 In 2021, she has been appointed as Distinguished Professor at the John Wesley School of Leadership, Carolina University, USA

In June 2016, she was in the Forbes List for the 100 ‘Most Powerful women in the world’ and 1st among the Top 100 Women in Africa Forbes List 2017, 2019. She is honoured as one of Foreign Policy’s 2015 Global Thinkers. In 2022, she serves on the Science Advisory Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome

Dr Ameenah Gurib -Fakim's book: "Ameenah Gurib-Fakim - My Journey" ".

Kantha Naicker

Professional Acocuntant (SA)

"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you, decide what difference you want to make and change the world one small act at a time." kantha@evolveaccounting.co.za Kantha (Reddy) Naicker kantha naicker kanthatweet kanthanaicker

Ntsiki Mkhize

Hajira Mashego

CEO: Fitness Junction (PTY)Ltd

"The best way to predict the future is to create it." hajira@fitnessjunction.net Dr Hajira Mashego (PHD) hajiramashego HajiraMashego

A U T H O R S

Sinal Govender

CEO / Co-founder

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose” - Dolly Parton info@lifefile.co.za Sinal Govender

www.fitnessjunction.co.za www.lifefile.co.za

Kayla Naicker

"Failure is success if we learn from it."

naickerkayla@gmail.com

kaylanaicker_

Ameera Faber

Creative Solutions Strategist

“I know that you and me baby, were burned at the stake in previous life.” magic@ameersfaber.com, Ameera Faber ameerafaber www.ameerafaber.com

U T H O R S

Rusana Philander

Media entrepreneur

"Be the change you want to see in the world" rusanaphilander1@gmail.com

RusanaPhilander

Kimsha Sewpal Nqoba Green Solutions

"You have to be broken in order to awaken the power within you."

Kimshasewpal1@gmail.com

Kimsha Sewpal Nqoba Green Solutions

Gareth Davids

D E S I G N E R

D E S I G N E R E D I T O R

E S I G N T E A M Kierra Theunissen

OB Khensani

References:

Kimsha and the crayfish:

1. https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/press-releases/children-south-africa-high-risk-impacts-climate-crisis

Ms. Thobile Mlongo:

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3. Brixiová, Z., Kangoye, T., & Yogo, T. U. (2020). Access to finance among small and medium-sized enterprises and job creation in Africa. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 55, 177–189.

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7. Elam, A.B.; Brush, C.G.; Greene, P.G.; Baumer, B.; Dean, M.; Heavlow, R.(2019).Global Entrepreneurship Monitor: 2018/2019 Women’s Entrepreneurship Report; Global Entrepreneurship Research Association: London, UK, 2019; p. 150.

8. Estrada,C.,U. & Schuber,C.(2022). Women, SMEs and sustainable development – lessons learnt for the road ahead. United Nations Industrial Development Organization

9. Filser, M., Kraus, S., Roig-Tierno, N., Kailer, N., & Fischer, U. (2019). Entrepreneurship as catalyst for sustainable development: Opening the black box. Sustainability, 11(16), 4503

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12. Horton, P., & Horton, B. P. (2019). Re-defining sustainability: living in harmony with life on Earth. One Earth, 1(1), 86-94

13. ITC. (2019). SME competitiveness outlook 2019: Big money for small business—Financing the sustainable development goals. International Trade Centre

14. Lin, R.-T., & Koh, D. (2019). Small and medium enterprises: Barriers and drivers of managing environmental and occupational health risks. In Encyclopedia of environmental health (pp. 682–692)

15. Muriithi, S. (2017). African Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) Contributions, Challenges and Solutions. Progressive Academic Publishing.

16. Odera, J. A., & Mulusa, J. (2020). SDGs, Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: What Prospects for Delivery?. In M. Kaltenborn, M. Krajewski, & H. Kuhn (Eds.), Sustainable Development Goals and Human Rights. Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Rights, vol 5. Springer, Cham.

17. OECD (2014). Women’s Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

18. OECD.(2012). Gender Equality in education, employment and entrepreneurship: final report to the mcm 2012. ERIC Clearinghouse

19. Outsios, G., & Farooqi, S. A. (2017). Gender in sustainable entrepreneurship: evidence from the UK. Gender in Management An International Journal, 32(3), 183–202.

20. Raman, R.; Subramaniam, N.; Nair, V.K.; Shivdas, A.; Achuthan, K.; Nedungadi, P.(2022). Women Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development: Bibliometric Analysis and Emerging Research Trends. Sustainability

21. Shepherd, D. & Patzelt, H. (2011). The New Field of Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Studying Entrepreneurial Action Linking “What is to be Sustained” with “What is to be Developed”. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 35(1), 137-163.

22. UN (2015) Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. New York: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

23. UNCTAD (2013). A Survey on Women’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

24. United Nations (2015) - Sustainable Development. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

25. Urbano, D. and Audretsch, D. and Aparicio, S. and Noguera, M. (2020) Does entrepreneurial activity matter for economic growth in developing countries? the role of the institutional environment. International Entrepreneurship And Management Journal.16 (3): 1065-1099.

26. Vuorio, A. M., Puumalainen, K., & Fellnhofer, K. (2017). Drivers of entrepreneurial intentions in sustainable entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 24(2), 359-381.

27. Weidinger, Fischler, F., & Schmidpeter, R. (2014). Sustainable Entrepreneurship Business Success through Sustainability (1st ed. 2014.). Springer Berlin Heidelberg

28. World Economic Forum (2020). Global Gender Gap Report 2020. World Economic Forum, Switzerland.

29. Nelson Mandela Foundation. (2022). Dialogues.

"FREEDOM CANNOT BE ACHIEVED UNLESS THE WOMEN HAVE BEEN EMANCIPATED FROM ALL FORMS OF OPPRESSION.”

-NELSON MANDELA