The entrepreneurs who entered the 2020 Santam Women of the Future Awards in association with FAIRLADY and TRUELOVE have once again inspired us with their entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to seeing their business ideas through, and the sheer resilience and determination they have shown during this unprecedented time.

The panel of judges presiding over the awards this year are Professor Thuli Madonsela (Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch University, and Founder of the Social Justice M-Plan and the Thuma Foundation); Dawn Nathan-Jones (Social Entrepreneur); Redi Tlhabi (Radio & TV Presenter, Author, Producer and Facilitator), Enid Lizamore (Executive Head of Human Resources at Santam); Suzy Brokensha (FAIRLADY Editor) and Mbali Soga (TRUELOVE Editor).

“This year has been an extraordinarily difficult one for business everywhere, not just in South Africa. But the nine phenomenal finalists in this year’s Santam Women of the Future Awards in association with FAIRLADY and TRUELOVE are outstanding. They have refused to be beaten down by circumstances; instead they have powered through, often improving their businesses in the process. Reading the nearly 700 entries we received this year made me want to stand up and applaud,” said Suzy Brokensha, FAIRLADY Editor.

“There’s never been a more pressing time to assist entrepreneurs, with the Covid-19 pandemic bringing the South African economy to its knees. I am so proud that we, as brands, can collaborate to assist in these dire times, and I implore more organisations to step up and lend a hand too. We could all sit in boardrooms and debate the magnitude of the situation, or we could roll up our sleeves and really help. The future of our country lies in the hands of self-made, enterprising women,” said Mbali Soga, TRUELOVE Editor.

The winners in each of the three categories – as well as the Readers’ Choice Award (new this year) – will be announced via livestream on Friday, 16 October 2020 at 12.30pm with Redi Tlhabi as MC.

Through an independent survey, Santam found that the first 1000 days of business are the hardest, and that if you’re still in business by day 1001, you’re likely to succeed in the long term. We are proud to announce this year’s finalists:

Woman of the Future 2020

The women eligible for this award are 30 or older and have been in business for at least 1000 days. The finalists are:

• Catherine Clark of The Harvest Table, a health and nutrition business that specialises in supplements.
• Luella Naidoo of Jezriel Craig Holdings, which connects graduates who have a BSc or business degree with companies in the medical and pharmaceutical industries.
• Mmamontsheng Dulcy Rakumakoe of Quadcare Occupational Health, a network of medical centres in low- to middle-income communities.

Social Entrepreneur 2020

The women eligible for this award are 30 or older and their businesses/social enterprises have survived the first 1 000 days. Their ventures are making a difference in their communities. The finalists are:

• Carolyn Hancock of Angels Care, Thembelihle School and The DNA Project. Angels Care is a space to care for kids from extreme poverty in informal settlements, while the Thembelihle School provides multicultural education for children from Grade RRR to Grade 7. The DNA Project works on passing legislation to ensure that DNA evidence can legally be collected at crime scenes and from suspects.
• Maria Grewar of The ReTrade Project, a community-based recycling and social empowerment project. Through the exchange of recycled goods, community members can receive food, clothing and toiletries.
• Sue van der Linde of Iris House Children’s Hospice. The hospice cares for special needs children, and offers hospice-based and overnight respite care, parent support services, equine therapy and gardening workshops.

Rising Star 2020

These young go-getters are 30 and under, and have passed the six-month milestone. The finalists are:

• Boniswa Mayeza of Shesha, an app that allows people to request any emergency service and provides a precise location.
• Sibongile Mdlaka of KwaZulu Beverages, a company that produces a healthy energy drink that’s low in sugar and caffeine.
• Welile Gumede of Azowel Projects, which restores neglected and unused farming spaces in the Ilembe region for crop cultivation.

New to the awards this year is our co-sponsor, Lulalend, a business that is all about providing fast and easy finance for your start-up.

The prizes awarded to the three winners are: R80 000 in cash to the Woman of the Future, and R50 000 each, in cash, to the Social Entrepreneur and Rising Star.

All the winners will also walk away with:

• A PR package worth R10 000 from Lulalend
• A luxurious beauty hamper worth R5 000 from Estée Lauder
• Business printing worth R5 000 from Lithotech
• A course worth R17 000 from GIBS
• A Samsonite Zalia 2.0 Bailhandle worth R3 699
• A ladies wristwatch worth R1 095 from Missguided
• An hour’s invaluable mentorship with one of our judges
• A media training course.

To cast your vote for one of the finalists in the Readers’ Choice Award, head over to www.womenofthefuture.co.za or SMS the names Dulcy, Catherine, Luella, Carolyn, Maria, Sue, Boniswa, Sibongile or Welile to 37174!

To join via livestream, go to https://qkt.io/aFEPth to purchase your ticket. Tickets cost R50.

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