Entrepreneurship seen as solution to South Africa’s

unemployment crisis
JOHANNESBURG—In South Africa, unemployment remains very high. More than one in four people are out of
work. Many people are turning to entrepreneurship to make ends meet but some have found it easier than
others.
“ I C A N ’T WA IT ”
Beginning from the grassroots is exactly what Ludwick Marishane did. Marishane started businesses as a teenager in

rural Limpopo, a northern province in South Africa with high levels of poverty. His friend did not to take a bath and

wondered why no one had invented a product to substitute for showering. A few years later Marishane created

Drybath Gel, a waterless shower alternative that could save time for some but also help those with no access to water.

“I scraped together whatever resources I had available. I didn’t have computers or resources like that so I would have

to use the local compu to use the local computer café, where it cost about $2 an hour to use the Internet. My
South Africans are finding ways to
create their own opportunities allowance was $5 - that w café, where it cost about $2 an hour to use the Internet. My allowance was $5 - that o use

“Untitled” by Frederik Schweiger
on Unsplash is licensed under the
Unsplash license
the loce the local computer café, where it cost about $2 an hour to use the Internet. My allowance was $5 - that wawa
T H E WA T E R LE S S S H O WE R
. Beginning from the grassroots is exactly what Ludwick Marishane did. Marishane started businesses as a teenager in
rural Limpopo, a northern province in South Africa with high levels of poverty. His friend did not to take a bath and

wondered why no one had invented a product to substitute for showering. A few years later Marishane created

Drybath Gel, a waterless shower alternative that could save time for some but also help those with no access to water.

“I scraped together whatever resources I had available. I didn’t have computers or resources like that so I wo

Beginning from the grassroots is exactly what Ludwick Marishane did. Marishane started businesses as a teenager in

rural Limpopo, a northern province in South Africa with high levels of poverty. His friend did not to take a bath and

wondered why no one had invented a product to substitute for showering. A few years later Marishane created
Ludwick Marishane created Drybath
Gel, a waterless shower alternative.
Drybath Gel, a waterless shower alternative that could save time shower alternative that could save time shower

© 2020 by FHI 360. "Dry Bath Gel"

alternative that could save time shower alternative that could save time shower alternative that could save time
for the Online Professional English
Network (OPEN), sponsored by the
U.S. Department of State with shower alternative that could save time shower alternative that could save time shower alternative that could save
funding from the U.S. Government,
and administered by FHI 360. This time shower alternative that could save time for some but also help those with no access to water. “I scraped together
image is an adaptation of “wash
hands” by Antistatique, “drought” whatever resources I had available. I didn’t have computers or resources like that so I would uld have to use the local
by Corpus Delicti, and ‘gel” by
Made via the Noun Project under
compu to use the local computer café, where it cost about $2 an hour to use the Internet. My allowance was $5 - that
CC BY-SA. This derivative is
licensed under CC BY-SA by FHI
360 for use in OPEN, sponsored by w café, where it cost about $2 an hour to use the Internet. My allowance was $5 - that
the U.S. Department of State.

© 2020 by FHI 360. “Entrepreneurship Seen as Solution to South Africa’s Unemployment Crisis” for the Online
Professional English Network, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S.
government and administered by FHI 360. This work is an adaptation of “Entrepreneurship Seen as Solution to S. 1
Africa’s Unemployment Crisis” by Gillian Parker / VOA News which is in the public domain. VOA News’ terms of
usage can be found here. Adapted content is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, except
where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
 E D U C A T I O N IS K E Y
. Beginning from the grassroots is exactly what Ludwick Marishane did. Marishane started businesses as a teenager in
rural Limpopo, a northern province in South Africa with high levels of poverty. His friend did not to take a bath and

wondered why no one had invented a product to substitute for showering. A few years later Marishane created Drybath

Gel, a waterless shower alternative that could save time for some but also help those with no access to water. “I scraped

together whatever resources I had available. I didn’t have computers or resources like that so I wo Beginning from the

“Entrepreneurship and education - grassroots is exactly what Ludwick Marishane did. Marishane started businesses as a teenager in rural Limpopo, a
that’s how you solve unemployment”
northern province in South Africa with high levels of poverty. His friend did not to take a bath and wondered why no one
“Graduates of Harambee Youth
Employment Accelerator in had invented a product to substitute for showering. A few years later Marishane created Drybath Gel, a waterless shower
Johannesburg” by Gabriel Diamond via
Wikimedia Commons is licensed under
CC BY-SA alternative that could

2
Lesson 2: Reading Strategies (Part 1)
STEP ONE: PREVIEW THE TEXT
Previewing means looking at and reading parts of a text to get a general understanding of the content and
organization before reading more carefully.

To preview, look at the title, subtitles, pictures, and captions. Subtitles are the smaller titles under the main title
and sometimes before different sections of a text. Captions are the descriptions under each of the pictures. Titles,
subtitles, pictures, and captions often include words and ideas that are important to the main point or argument.

You should also look at information about the author and when or where the text was written. This kind of
information can help you understand more about the author's connection to the topic, as well as how long ago the
article was published.

Finally, think about what you already know about the topic. This helps you to recall vocabulary that you might see
as you read.

Once you have looked through the titles, pictures, and other information about the author and the reading, make
a prediction. What do you think the article will be about?

Keep your prediction in mind as you read so you can stay focused and better understand what you are reading.
Now do another comprehension check. Use your prediction for the article to help you look through the possible
main ideas.
STEP 2: READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE QUICKLY AND WITHOUT
STOPPING
Do not stop reading. Read all the way to the end. Do not open your dictionary. Read all the way through. Stopping
to look up words will make you a slow reader and it will also be difficult to remember what you have read. When
you finish, check your prediction. Was it correct? Try to summarize the reading in one sentence.

Let's practice reading quickly on the next page. We will read the full article, "Is Entrepreneurship the key to
South Africa's Unemployment Crisis?"

14
Practice reading quickly
C H E C K Y O U R PR E D I C T I O N . W A S I T C O R R E C T ?

1. Read the full article below. (Remember: read quickly, don't stop, don't use your dictionary).
2. Summarize the reading in one sentence. Share your summary with your peers in the discussion board.
3. Read other participants' summaries. Did they have the same ideas as you?
4. Click "like" on the post that you think has the best summary.

C A N Y O U F I NI S H R E A D I N G I N L E S S T H A N 5 M I N U T E S ?
USE A TIMER TO TEST YOURSELF.

Is entrepreneurship a solution to South Africa's

unemployment crisis?
"I CANNOT SIT AND DO NOTHING."

Twenty-four-year-old Sibusiso Ngcobo says he can no

longer wait for someone to create a job for him. “It is
hard to find a job. I cannot sit and do nothing," he
said. "I can’t wait. I have to eat, I have brothers to
support, I have a family to feed.”

He and other South Africans like him, are finding ways to

South Africans are
finding ways to create their own opportunities.
create their own
opportunities
Ngcobo started up his own company in Johannesburg
“Untitled” by Frederik
Schweiger on Unsplash is
last year but he found it difficult to find the initial
licensed under the
Unsplash license
funding.

"Coming from a previously disadvantaged background,

you don't have security. Your house is just a small house.
Then you go to the bank - you have a great brilliant idea,
they say they want collateral. What do you have? You have nothing,"
Ngcobo said. "You have to begin from the grassroots.”

15
THE WATERLESS SHOWER

Beginning from the grassroots is exactly what

Ludwick Marishane did. Marishane started a
business as a teenager.

One day, his friend didn’t want to take a bath.

Ludwick Marishane created
Drybath Gel, a waterless
shower alternative.
There was no water. Marishane wondered why no
one had invented a product to substitute for
showering. A few years later Marishane created
Drybath Gel, a waterless shower alternative.
Drybath can save time for some and also help those
with no access to water.

© 2020 by FHI 360. "Dry Bath Gel"

“I used the resources I had. I didn’t have computers
for the Online Professional English
Network (OPEN). This image is an
or things like that. So, I used the local computer
adaptation of “wash hands” by
Antistatique, “drought” by Corpus
café, where it cost about $2 an hour to use the
Delicti, and ‘gel” by Made via the
Noun Project under CC BY-SA. This
Internet. My allowance was $5 - that was my
derivative is licensed under CC BY-SA
by FHI 360 for use in OPEN,
pocket money and lunch money,” Marishane said.
sponsored by the U.S. Department of
State.
In his last year of high school, Marishane drafted
an 8,000-word business plan on a simple phone. He
sent it to 80 venture capitalists, but none were willing to take a risk on
a young inventor with a product that they considered mostly for the
poor, he said.

“I looked at different sources. I looked at the different banking loans

and the different development loans that were available to small
businesses. I was unsuccessful - part of it was the red tape and the
amount of bureaucracy involved. It is hard to access those types of
funds. At the same time my business - it wasn’t a bankable idea,"
Marishane said.

He entered the product into competitions. Slowly, he gained some

funds to develop his business.

16
Marishane is now the youngest patent holder in South Africa. The
company has provided 445,590 baths. It has also saved over 35.6
million liters of water, crucial for a country facing a water crisis.
Marishane cites education as one of the biggest advantages in starting
a business.
EDUCATION IS KEY

Jason Basel feels the same way. Basel is the founder

and president of Akro Organization, which provides
practical, action-oriented training to young
entrepreneurs.

“Entrepreneurship and education - that’s how you

solve unemployment,” Basel said.

“Entrepreneurship and
He also said that the lack of practical business
education - that’s how you education is keeping people from realizing their
solve unemployment”
potential business ideas.
“Graduates of Harambee Youth
Employment Accelerator in
Johannesburg” by Gabriel Diamond While there is plenty of business potential among
via Wikimedia Commons is licensed
under CC BY-SA South Africa’s youth, the country lacks the services
to enable its young entrepreneurs.

What Marishane and others have shown is that you can overcome the
odds with one great idea.

AFTER YOU FINISH READING:

1. Summarize the reading in one sentence. Share your summary with your peers in the discussion board
below.
2. Read other participants' summaries. Did they have the same ideas as you?
3. Click "like" on the post that you think has the best summary.

17
Lesson 3: Reading Strategies (Part 2)

STEP 3: READ AGAIN AND TAKE NOTES

Take notes about what you do and do not understand. You can take your notes in the margins, the white space on
the side of the text, or on a separate piece of paper. This will help you easily find information to review later. You
can also mark or write on the text itself to help you identify the most important information in the reading later or
help focus your attention while you're reading.

Now is the time to look up any keywords that you still don't understand in your dictionary. This is the best time to
look up words because you already know the main idea of the article which will help you understand the
definitions.

STEP 4: ASK QUESTIONS

After you finish reading, ask yourself the following questions to help you remember what you read. These
questions help you think about the relationship between the reading, your local community, your country and the
rest of the world.

• How does the reading connect to your own life, ideas, or experience with business and
entrepreneurship?
• Does the reading remind you of something else you have read, heard or watched before? This
question helps you think about the relationship between the current reading and other learning you
have done in the past.
• How does the reading connect to your local community, your country, or the wider world? How do
the issues the author discussed, affect the local, or global economy?

Share your ideas with your classmates in the next discussion post.

Discussion: Reading Strategies: Asking Questions

You have just read the article, "Is Entrepreneurship a solution to South Africa's Unemployment Crisis?"

Choose one question below:

• How does the reading connect to your own life, ideas, or experience with business and
entrepreneurship?
• Does the reading remind you of something else you have read, heard, or watched before?
• How does the reading connect to your local community, your country, or the wider world?

Write a short response to one question (max 50 words)

18
Lesson 4: Why Entrepreneurship? (Part 1)
In this lesson, we will explain how entrepreneurship helps local and global economic development. We will discuss
why people become entrepreneurs and we'll talk about some of the challenges that entrepreneurs can have. As
we discussed in Lesson One, entrepreneurship means the making of a new business.

WHAT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

Economic development is the improvement of people's quality of life by creating and maintaining jobs, and
supporting or growing incomes. Jobs and incomes provide people with money to spend.

H O W D O E S E N T R E P R E N E U R S H IP H E L P E C O N O M I C
DEVELOPMENT?

Entrepreneurship can help economic development by creating jobs. It can do this in two
ways. A start-up, a new business that did not exist before, creates a job for the entrepreneur
and the people the entrepreneur hires. This can include family and friends or people in the
community. These people have money to spend to buy things and services in the economy. This
helps the people who sell those products or services so they also have more money to spend.
This creates economic development.
"Start-up" by I Putu
Kharismayadi via the
Noun Project is An example of this job creation can be seen in the article that you read, "Is entrepreneurship a
solution to South Africa's unemployment crisis?" Ludwick Marishane created a company that
licensed under CC BY
produced a Drybath gel. Ludwick Marishane now has a job and he hired other people to work
for his start-up, who also now have jobs. All of these people now have money to spend. Which
provides money to people who sell things. This creates economic development.

A start-up also creates jobs for suppliers. Suppliers are the people who provide things and services for the
company. Ludwick Marishane needs to buy things to make his Drybath gel from suppliers. Maybe he also needs to
buy services like electricity or tax advice. These are also suppliers. Some of these suppliers buy from other
suppliers or they employ people. A lot of money can pass to many people who provide supplies. This is good for
economic development. Entrepreneurship can help economic development in creating jobs. But it can also help
the economy by creating innovation.

H O W D O E S IN N O V A T I O N H E L P E C O N O M I C D E VE L O P M E N T ?

Innovation is a new idea or a method. Entrepreneurs often create innovation in a product or

service. It can improve people's lives and increase economic development. Innovation can lead
to increased access to resources. People now can do something that they could not do before.

An example of this kind of innovation is the use of smartphones in rural Africa to do banking.
People did not have access to banks before. This innovation allows for safe and efficient money
“Innovation” by
transfer. Small businesspeople can buy, sell, and save money more easily. They are more
Icongeek26 via the
Noun Project is confident to start a business.
licensed under CC BY
Innovation can also lead to better use of resources. People can do more with what they have
or use less of what they have but benefit the same. An example of this kind of innovation is
improved technology in car engines. Cars can use less gas or petrol to drive the same distance or farther. People do
not need to buy as much gas as a result. This saves them money and saves the resource of gas for the future.

19