Participants that attended the seminar
Story by Nthabiseng Tlaka
Beyond Ability Talent Solutions facilitated a number of training sessions for entrepreneurs with disabilities in Johannesburg for a period of seven weeks in early 2019.
The course content was aimed at equipping and preparing the entrepreneur for the real business world through gaining various skills such as vision casting, business compliance, developing an innovation mind-set, navigating procurements, compliance, effective sales, developing a business brand, protecting the intellectual property of the business, standards and quality.
“We aim to empower entrepreneurs with disabilities as they face access barriers to the mainstream business world by utilising tools and material that link them to our database of established businesses for them to be part of the value chain, “said Ntsoaki Phali, the programme leader and founder of Beyond Ability Talent Solutions.
Beyond Ability Talent Solutions is a disability recruitment specialist company based in Johannesburg that has linked more than 6 000 people with disabilities with various economic opportunities such as permanent employment, bursaries to procurement opportunities for entrepreneurs with disabilities since 2009.
“Our classes draw entrepreneurs from various industries as well as independent calls to participate so that it is all inclusive for various disabilities,” Phali said.
During the seven-week period, seven entrepreneurs with varying disabilities such as dyslexia, deafness, paraplegia, blindness, physical and speech impairments, benefitted from the training.
Some business industry experts that have facilitated in the programme include business compliance expert Rapelang Motsumi, Excel for business trainer Herschel Arendse, Dr Collin Kholisile Amos of Vilakazi Health Care, Ayanda Allie Payne of Zuri TV a Cosmopolitan Christian Woman an online television platform , Neo Kuaho of YFM/Ydidi and Liabo Setho of SABC News. All have impacted the programme by sharing their industry and business expertise.
“The training on compliance was an important module for the entrepreneurs as they are going into the business industry,” said Motsumi.
There have been a number of success stories from the programme’s former trainees.
Sibisiso Motshwane now owns Grateful Passions Film Productions Company after receiving extensive mentoring in entrepreneurship through the programme.
“As a person with a mental disability, society had almost shunned me. The programme was an eye-opener because it helped me establish a foundation for me to thrive in business,” Motshwane said.
He added, “I would urge persons with disabilities to look up upcoming opportunities that Beyond Ability Talent Solutions offers so that you can enrol to become a business player in the mainstream.”
