Help 50 South Africans Build Small Businesses

 Through this year's South Africa Mobile Entrepreneurs Program (MEP), OGE has trained 215 aspiring entrepreneurs, street vendors and informal small business owners in entrepreneurship, technology and Internet safety skills.  Here's a look at the results the entrepreneurs achieved after completing intensive in-person training, receiving advice and tips via text message and exercising new skills:

• 75% of participants have created a business plan or improved upon their existing business plan

• 72% of MEP participants, who own businesses or have started businesses, have established an online presence for their business.

• 65% of MEP participants have created marketing plans

• 53% of MEP participants are incorporating the use of social media into marketing plans 

• 72% of MEP participants have created and are accessing a LinkedIn profile for online professional networking 

• 100% of MEP participants learned how to conduct online research to increase business knowledge and access information about government or private funding, or additional support through local entrepreneurship-focused organizations; 83% are utilizing this skill to advance their business. 

• 100% of participants have increased their cyber security awareness

• 100% of participants have learned how to recognize common threats targeting small businesses such as information theft and fraud

• 100% of participants have learned how to protect their small business and personal ID

Thanks to our Global Giving donors for supporting MEP to empower high impact entrepreneurs across Johannesburg!