The Hope Factory NPC has partnered with Transnet Pipelines South Africa to provide a specialised bespoke Enterprise and Supplier Development programme.
The programme is aimed at empowering and enabling entrepreneurs who are physical disabled, to develop personal and business skills to grow and improve their businesses.
The programme will also serve as an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills that can empower and transform their lives and assist them towards financial freedom and personal dignity. There are also opportunities to become regular suppliers of Transnet Pipelines.
This is the first time that The Hope Factory, a Nation Building entity at the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) will mentor disabled entrepreneurs.
“As a Business Mentor, walking hand-in-hand with an entrepreneur on their journey to success and prosperity, through the highest high’s and low’s and ever changing business and personal terrain daily – is one of the greatest privileges that we cherish most here at The Hope Factory. This Transnet Pipelines (TPL) Special Programme for People with Disability, the brainchild of the Supplier & Enterprise Development department at TPL, is an amazing opportunity to achieve genuine and measurable transformation for this community of people who are often excluded from economic participation.
“The ESD initiative will equip and empower entrepreneurially-minded disabled people with sustainable skills and provide ongoing support to usher them on a life-changing journey from financial dependence to independence. This is the HOPE that we wish to build in and for South Africa and we look forward to many more such initiatives,” says Sipho Pilime, Special Projects Manager at The Hope Factory.
Survey reveals the most expensive cities for expatriates
According to Mercer’s 2016 Cost of Living Survey, Hong Kong tops the list of most expensive cities for expatriates, pushing Luanda, Angola to second position. Zurich and Singapore remain in third and fourth positions, respectively, whereas Tokyo is in fifth, up six places from last year. Kinshasa, ranked sixth, appears for the first time in the top 10, moving up from thirteenth place.
Mercer’s 22nd annual Cost of Living Survey finds that factors including currency fluctuations, cost inflation for goods and services, and instability of accommodation prices, contribute to the cost of expatriate packages for employees on international assignments.
Other cities appearing in the top 10 of Mercer’s costliest cities for expatriates are Shanghai (7), Geneva (8), N’Djamena (9), and Beijing (10). The world’s least expensive cities for expatriates, according to Mercer’s survey, are Windhoek (209), Cape Town (208), and Bishkek (207).
“Despite technology advances and the rise of a globally connected workforce, deploying expatriate employees remains an increasingly important aspect of a competitive multinational company’s business strategy,” said Ilya Bonic, Senior Partner and President of Mercer’s Talent business.
“However, with volatile markets and stunted economic growth in many parts of the world, a keen eye on cost efficiency is essential, including a focus on expatriate remuneration packages. As organizations’ appetite to rapidly grow and scale globally continues, it is necessary to have accurate and transparent data to compensate fairly for all types of assignments, including short-term and local plus status.”
Bright Young Minds Summit gets underway
A hundred action orientated young people between the ages of 20 and 32 will spend five days coming up with innovative solutions to the various developmental challenges faced by Africa.
Every year the summit identifies new young leaders to join their network. The new recruits first connect at our 5-day summit. Here they teach and inspire each other and, most importantly, act together.
The annual Brightest Young Minds (BYM) Summit is underway until 26 June 2016 and will empower young people with the training, support and learning they need to enhance their employment and self-employment prospects.
According to Stephen van Coller, Barclays Africa Chief Executive Officer for Corporate and Investment Banking, Absa a member of Barclays, is proud to be the sole strategic partner and sponsor of the summit for the third consecutive year.
“This year the summit is themed ‘Shaping the future now’ will accommodate 100 of Africa’s most innovative leaders to come together with the nation’s decision makers and craft solutions to developmental challenges outlined in the National Development Plan. Our partnership with BYM demonstrates our ongoing commitment to innovation and shared growth across the continent,” says van Coller. More information here.
