Our priorities in action

In May 1995, SAB launched KickStart, a scheme to promote entrepreneurship and business skills among 18 to 35-year-olds from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. It provides training, mentoring and grants to assist small businesses. Since its formation, over 22,700 entrepreneurs have benefited from the programme and KickStart participants have set up more than 3,200 businesses.

Now in its 15th year, it's the largest and most successful entrepreneurship development project in South Africa. A recent evaluation showed that over 80% of the entrepreneurs supported by the programme were still trading after three years. In contrast, 40% of other small businesses fail in their first year rising to 60% by the end of their second year. Many of these enterprises have grown into multi-million rand organisations, employing significant numbers of people. Almost a third supply goods and services to SAB.

KickStart has become a model for other SABMiller companies and has been replicated in many countries around the world.

A similar programme at Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL) has pioneered the approach in Botswana and is now in its sixth year. Since its inception it has supported 22 small businesses including a bakery, a piggery, a safari company, a candle manufacturer and a one-stop media shop. A similar programme in Swaziland will be launched next year.

In Colombia, Bavaria's Destapa Futuro programme has been running for three years. Over this time it has supported the creation of 184 businesses and invested over US$6 million in training, mentoring and assessing business plans for more than 1,000 entrepreneurs. Over 170 of these businesses are still operating and more than 550 jobs have been created.

During 2009, Destapa Futuro launched a social networking website – www.redemprendedoresbavaria.net   to connect business people and entrepreneurs across the country. The site has so far attracted over 18,000 registered users from more than 500 towns and cities. 12% of these have engaged in business deals with other users.

In the USA, the MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneurs Series (MUES) celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. The programme fosters urban economic empowerment by providing resources and grants to aspiring entrepreneurs. Over the past 10 years, MUES has provided more than US$1 million in business grants to more than 100 urban professionals across the country.

In Hungary, Dreher's Young Entrepreneur of the Future programme, launched in 2006, offers start-up capital and professional advice to three university students each year to help them launch their dream enterprise.

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