In a world of CSI and ESD, commitment is one of the foundations for successful development outcomes and Nthonyana Kitsa oozes commitment in bucketloads.
Nthonyana calls herself a resource mobilisation and partner development professional, which slots perfectly into the ethos of her role as Regional Manager, Gauteng for Black Umbrellas.
Black Umbrellas (BU), a partner entity of the Cyril Ramaphosa Fouindation, is an ESD incubation organisation that partners with entrepreneurs, enterprises, investors and communities, to drive an inclusive and sustainable economic future by enabling the success of emerging SMEs. The prime focus of BU is to develop qualifying businesses to a level where they can gain meaningful access to procurement, finance and networks, and then facilitating that access to the opportunities.
Nthonyana is responsible for two incubators and a business lounge where SMMEs across various sectors are provided co-spacing, a Black Umbrellas initiative designed to provide their incubation clients affordable office space with the necessary facilities for them carry out their productivity needs, as they come onboard onto the Black Umbrellas Business Foundation Programme or the Business Readiness Programme.
There is a lot of talk about what the intent of ESD and CSI initiatives are and the seeing the value of having programmes that support communities and small businesses, but when it comes to the implementation, it is still functioning in silos.
Her career has been based on a commitment to development in the sectors that have an impact on communities and social good, as an advocate for sustainable economic development through championing inclusive community empowerment initiatives.
Nthonyana gave ImpactSA some insight into her commitment as a champion for CSI and ESD.
What is your motivation for the development of small business?
To enable SME’s to grow beyond being a hand to mouth operation. Their potential to change the lives of people who would be left out of formal employment in their communities is immense and they are literally positioned to be that vital catalyst.
What would you consider your biggest epiphany – a life-defining change, or ‘ah-ha!’ moment that shaped you into the person you are today?
After I finished university, I didn’t have a job so I volunteered initially for a consulting company to travel with them to rural towns in the Free state to do training just so that I could keep busy and also learn some work ethic. That changed my life because this is when the “social bug” bit me. Seeing how the simple life skills training provided to the community members empowered them and changed their perspective of the world and themselves. It’s also left me with a passion to see that happen for many more people however possible.
What would you consider to be your most significant career accomplishment(s)?
Designing and crafting the first employee volunteerism programme for an organisation I once worked for, and producing and hosting the first Social Entrepreneurship Summit meant to build African social enterprises
In your opinion, is there enough awareness around ESD and CSI within corporate South Africa?
There is a lot of talk about what the intent of ESD and CSI initiatives are and the seeing the value of having programmes that support communities and small businesses, but when it comes to the implementation, it is still functioning in silos. Everyone is trying to be the champion of everything in their own corner but collaboration is key and this is needed for the full value to be transferred to SMEs and communities at large.
There’s a lot of talk around SMME development as a driver of employment. Is that a focus in the Black Umbrellas incubation goals?
Absolutely! Our incubation programme is geared at developing the SME to function in a way that positions it to grow, gain market access, procurement opportunities, access to funding to capitalise so that it can grow and flourish. By so doing, it can create opportunities for unemployed people in their local communities.
Visit the Black Umbrellas website.
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