The United State Consulate General office recently visited the innobiz DUT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, to meet the beneficiaries of the Women in Agri Programme and the schools who benefited under the Agri for kids Programme.
The programme hosted at Durban University of Technology (DUT) Indumiso Campus, was attended by Acting US Consul General, Ms Jaclyn Cole, New York Farmer, Food Justice Activist, and Community Organizer Ms Karen Washington and beneficiaries of the Women in Agri and Agri for Kids Programmes.
On behalf of the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement (DVC: RIE) at DUT, Professor Keolebogile Motaung, innobiz Centre Manager Ms Nontokozo Ngcobo welcomed all the guest who took time out of their busy schedules to attend the programme and shared that the Centre is looking forward to more engagements and collaborations in the near future.
“I would like to express appreciation of the partnership which helps us to impact more businesses and young people in our communities including our school learners,” said Ngcobo.
Acting US Consul General, Ms Jaclyn Cole delivered a speech where she extended her gratitude on the partnership, they have with the Centre in helping people with a passion for entrepreneurship and particularly, those in the agriculture sector.
“We have recently awarded DUT with an amount of US $29 000 to assist with developing entrepreneurship, especially here in KZN. We do this because we wish to help entrepreneurs achieve their full potential,” she said.
Guest speaker of the day, Ms Karen Washington addressed attendees on the importance of growing and eating healthy food. Her presentation put emphasis on the importance of encouraging and teaching the youth to work in collaboration and begin planting traditional African plants and pass the knowledge to future generations. “We need people like you, who are young and creative to make a change. We cannot succeed working in silos. Collective power is our strongest tool”. She went on to remind the attendees of the importance of preserving our culture, heritage, and history through agriculture.
“I come today to inspire you to be creative and innovative and to never forget your roots, history, and culture. We need to start planting our traditional foods such as Sorghum, Collard greens and other African original foods,” added Washington.
Ms Zandile Gwamanda from Ekukhanyeni special schools shared testimonial of how the Agri for kids programme has assisted in encouraging agriculture and entrepreneurship in her school.
“The programme has helped so much in encouraging entrepreneurship in our school, once we started harvesting our vegetables and selling them, other kids started joining in and were eager to make money too,” continued Gwamanda.
Washington further engaged with the beneficiaries, sharing their success stories, farming business ideas and the impact the agricultural projects have had on their organisations. She provided advise and insight on innovative ways they can use to grow their farming business.
Pictured: innobiz Manager, Ms Nontokozo Ngcobo, guest speaker, Ms Karen Washington and the US Consulate General team.
Photographer: Khonzinkosi Magcaba.
Nontethelelo Mzizi
