Cape Town - A local eco-warrior was recognised for her entrepreneurial spirit.
Zoë Prinsloo,19, won the youth category at the inaugural Business Person of the Year (BPOTY) award ceremony at Edgemead Bowling Club Wednesday.
Hosted by the South African Informal Traders Alliance (SAITA), there were more than 20 finalists, from general retail to catering and wellness.
SAITA did not only award winners for business related events but also for showing good qualities in character, resilience and perseverance.
Prinsloo said: “I was eager to learn more about being a business owner and gain mentorship through SAITA and from fellow small business owners.The main prize money was enticing but the skills and knowledge I’ve gained over these last nine months is just as valuable.”
“I am very proud and honoured to win the youth category, showing that no matter how young you are, you can still make a difference and create life-changing opportunities for you and your community. Being recognised for my hard work and commitment is incredibly humbling,” she said.
Prinsloo is the founder of Save-A-fishie in Burgundy Estate and her eco-friendly products can be bought online at www.saveafishie.co.za. She sells a wide variety of eco-friendly products including recycled books and pens, items made from bamboo and wheatstraw, reusable straws, travel mugs and water bottles, and even firelighters made from recycled coffee.
“I use the profits made via my store to help fund my beach clean-ups and to help feed an awesome group of about 15 kids from Brooklyn, who help me at my weekly beach clean-ups. I also run beach clean-up projects with schools as I strongly believe education is key.
“Local businesses are incredibly important not only for creating jobs but for noticing gaps and needs within the community and creating businesses to fill them,” she added.
Meanwhile, the BPOTY overall winner was Culinary Tactics in the catering industry.
Owner of Culinary Tactics, Karin Schmidt, said: “It is so overwhelming and before the winner was announced we all felt like winners. The process was not only about growing our business but as a person. BPOTY allowed us to create opportunities, collaborate with resources and celebrate our successes."
BPOTY project team member, Samantha van Schalkwyk, said: “The purpose of this competition was to provide a platform for informal, small and micro businesses access to opportunities created and available through the SAITA sector, in so doing through this competition, for their businesses to develop, grow and remain sustainable through essential skills and tools provided.”
Weekend Argus