Community-Driven Development: How Local Voices Can Build Local Businesses

Reflections from the Product Advisory Committee

At OnTask, we specialise in hosting learners with disabilities to provide them with work experience that can open doors to future employment.

South African companies face an ongoing challenge in meaningfully integrating people with disabilities into the workforce while meeting the requirements of the B-BBEE Skills Development Act.

Learnerships are an important step, but true success is achieved when those learners secure long-term, dignified work. In an economy shaped by automation, few entry-level jobs, and persistent barriers, it’s no easy task. So, we’re taking a slightly different approach.

We assist learners in establishing microenterprises that lead to self-employment and sustainable livelihoods. Our true agent of change lies in understanding the real-world dynamics and complexities of building these microenterprises. That is why we established the Product Advisory Committee, where community voices guide the design and rollout of pilot projects.

In our most recent session, we explored how microenterprises can serve as a bridge between learning and earning. The importance of these conversations becomes even clearer when we consider South Africa’s current economic landscape.

Microenterprises are everywhere. They are the heartbeat of local economies, from spaza shops and hair salons to car washes and community bakeries. Yet despite their immense potential, the broader picture remains grim.

According to Statistics South Africa, the national unemployment rate reached 33,2% in the second quarter of 2025. Among the youth, that figure remains unchanged at 46,1%. These aren’t just numbers; they represent real people, full of ideas and hope, waiting for the opportunity to meet them halfway.

When we look abroad, we see inspiring examples of what listening can achieve. In India, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) has shown how community-led microenterprise initiatives can generate both income and dignity through training and mentorship. In Nigeria, the YouWiN! programme has demonstrated how targeted support for small businesses can ripple outward, strengthening entire local economies.

If listening can spark that kind of change elsewhere, why not here?

South Africa has the creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit. What’s missing isn’t capacity, but connection.

We’d love to hear from you:When did you realise that listening mattered more than speaking?

Written by: Alyssa Coetzee and Marisa Bonnema

References:

·        Statistics South Africa (2025). Quarterly Labour Force Survey, Q2 2025. Read the report

·       Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), India. Visit website

·       World Bank. YouWiN! Nigeria Project Dataset. Access Here