Masupatsela

THE KHAYELITSHA TRADE FESTIVAL
DIRECTED and EDITED by TINA-LOUISE SMITH
TX 3 August 2009

Khayelitsha in Cape Town was established 26 years ago as a dormitory for migrant workers by the apartheid government. Accommodation was basic, so people were reluctant to live there and make Khayelitsha their home.  Today things are changing and over the years Khayelitsha has grown into a place that many call home. Schools have been established, shopping centres are being built and small businesses are starting up and growing.

Although many of these small businesses prosper inside Khayelitsha, they are not known outside Khayelitsha in broader Cape Town or South Africa. The Khayelitsha Development Forum wanted to change this, so they set about speaking to the local small businesses, community organisations and events organisers about ideas to broaden the market for the businesses.

In this episode we meet some of the people involved in making the first Khayelitsha Trade Festival a success. We also meet some of the exhibitors who have the chance to show their wares to a broader public for the first time at the Festival. We follow Pamela Dyan – a designer and dressmaker – over a few days of preparation to understand what a successful festival means for her small business and her family.

Everyone plays their part and works together to see that the most is made of the Festival!

TO LEARN MORE OR CONTRIBUTE TO THE KHAYELITSHA FESTIVAL:
visit their web site or call Bonginkosi Mgquba on +27 21 951 1534 / +27 84 361 5026.

THIS IS THE PROCESS THESE TRAILBLAZERS WENT THROUGH TO GET THE FESTIVAL OFF THE GROUND:
- the KDF realised that local small businesses needed more exposure
- developed a plan for a trade festival to allow small businesses to exhibit and network beyond their usual clientele
- approached companies, like Adele Lucas Promotions and Heart Foundation to produce and organise the festival
- stakeholders approached the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government for funds
- identified local businesses who deserved a platform at the Khayelitsha Trade Festival
- chosen businesses ensured they had product to showcase at the festival and that
- they had marketing material like business cards and flyers to hand out to potential customers at the festival

TO CONTACT PAMELA DYAN:
please call +27 84 702 6080.

IMAGE Project
We also follow-up with the IMAGE Project in Limpopo. We featured the IMAGE Project in Series I to explore how the micro financing initiative was empowering women in Limpopo. We speak to Malebo Matsong, a trainer at IMAGE to find out how things have developed.

FOR MORE ON the IMAGE Project:
read here

TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMAGE Project:
call 015 307 58

SCREEN GRABS FROM THE KHAYELITSHA TRADE FESTIVAL STORY: