Grahamstown entrepreneurs Daniel Long and Robert Davies of LocalMotive are among four Eastern Cape people to be asked to join the LifeCo UnLtd Enterprizer network.
Grahamstown entrepreneurs Daniel Long and Robert Davies of LocalMotive are among four Eastern Cape people to be asked to join the LifeCo UnLtd Enterprizer network.
LocalMotive is a regular feature of the Grahamstown Morning Market, offering a range of green products such as freshly juiced vegetables, vegan pesto, salad packs, sprouts, organically grown heritage vegetables, herbs, plants and moringa trees.
LocalMotive is also the local agent for moringa powder, a nutritional supplement. They donate a percentage of sales towards planting a sustainable moringa-based food forest in Transkei.
LifeCo UnLtd launched their Eastern Cape provincial programme on 20 August and announced the first Eastern Cape impact entrepreneurs to join their national LifeCo UnLtd Enterprizer network.
A LifeCo UnLtd Enterprizer is an individual who has been selected by a panel of judges from a group of impact entrepreneurs applying for this award.
This is part of a R32m development programme, R10m of which will be invested in the Eastern Cape province over three years.
The other entrepreneurs are Tsidi Limba of New Brighton for Fix my Bizz, a TV show which connects and showcases entrepreneurs, and Mary Phillips of Gelvandale for The Waste Takers, which deals with recycling and awareness around recyclable waste.
LifeCo UnLtd has reached and impacted on 55 000 people nationally over 18 years and supported more than 80 enterprises, creating over 1 000 jobs.
Impact entrepreneurs are individuals who have identified a need within their local markets and have innovatively applied business principles to create enterprises that address the need identified. This develops lasting impact.
LifeCo UnLtd SA announced (in May) their partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation and Standard Bank, to stimulate and grow impact entrepreneurs in South Africa.
The primary focus is on the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State.
The R32m being invested over three years is intended to identify 135 impact enterprises for funding and support, after a formal selection process including a business pitch to a panel comprising the IDC, Standard Bank, Deloitte and LifeCo UnLtd business specialists.
"We invest in individuals, support them, equip them and help them to start up or grow an impact business,” said Pat Pillai, former eNews anchor and Founder/CEO of LifeCo UnLtd SA.
“We look for individuals who use business principles to deliver sustainable impact plus profit. Each applicant is carefully screened and site visits are conducted to meet our stringent selection requirements.”
To date, LifeCo UnLtd SA has more than 60 institutional clients and partners, with R110m in assets. LifeCo UnLtd SA continues to find, fund and support Impact Entrepreneurs across South Africa.
Applications for funding and support to impact entrepreneurs opened on 20 August 2015. Go to their website www.lcu-sa.com to apply.
LifeCo UnLtd’s Eastern Cape Provincial office is situated on 326 Cape Road in Newton Park, Port Elizabeth. For more information, call them on 041 364 1766.
Davies, Long and Damien de Wet started a food initiative in August 2014 to grow the moringa plant at the Three Chimneys farm in Grahamstown.
The moringa plant is known for its rich nutrition, ability to endure harsh temparatures and the strong medicines it produces.
The plant is native to the sub-Himalayan areas of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India and has been used to produce medicine to treat dieseases such as cancer, athritis, anaemia, heart and kidney problems and many other medical conditions.
Oil generated from its seeds can be used in food, hair and perfume products.
