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From: Host
Category: Category
Date: 10 Jun 2003
Time: 09:37:41
Remote Name: 194.243.141.110
Small African enterprises get more time to enter for Africa SMME Awards The deadline for entries for the Africa SMME Awards has been extended to 31 July, following enormous interest from small, medium and micro enterprises all over the African continent. According to Jako Volschenk, coordinator of the project, SMMEs from as far as Tunisia, Ethiopia and Mali were asking if they could still enter. "Owing to the distances involved, these SMMEs are afraid that their entries will not reach us in time." He revealed that half of the entries received come from the SADC region, adding: "As expected, most entries are from South Africa. The biggest surprise, though, is the overwhelming response from East Africa, which has produced more than a quarter of the entries thus far." Volschenk hopes for at least a hundred entries, and says that the entries from the Northern, Western and Central African regions have not nearly reached the levels he expects. "The interest from North Africa in particular is disappointing, but we are trying to rectify the situation through interventions by various partner-organisations and direct marketing." Most interest comes from the IT, tourism and arts-and-crafts sectors, although other industries are also represented. Some very innovative SMMEs have entered for the awards, Volschenk says. He believes the success stories of the winners, which will receive considerable publicity, will reflect the best practices in all sectors. The awards event forms part of the Fifth Annual African Development Finance Conference in Johannesburg in October. This All-Africa conference and the Africa SMME awards are initiatives of the Africa Centre for Investment Analysis (ACIA) at the University of Stellenbosch Business School. "The extended deadline should give most SMMEs that still want to enter ample time to prepare their entries," says Volschenk. For more information, contact Jako Volschenk on +27 21 918 4258 or at jako@acia.sun.ac.za Released by: Marketing and Communication Division PO Box 610, University of Stellenbosch Business School, Bellville, South Africa Enquiries: Jako Volschenk Tel: +27 21-918-4258; fax: +27 21-918-4262 E-mail: jako@acia.sun.ac.za AFRICA SMME AWARDS 2003, Website: www.acia.sun.ac.za The Africa SMME Awards are presented to businesses that strive for excellence in order to be competitive in regional, national and international markets. These businesses are well established, in good financial shape and enjoy a reputation for quality, integrity and service. Furthermore, they act socially responsible, support community development efforts and create a work environment in which their employees can learn and grow. The nominees in the competition will enjoy media and other marketing exposure. Furthermore, WINNERS in the various categories will win significant cash prizes of between US$1000 and US$5000 and a uniquely designed Africa SMME Trophy. A total of thirty awards will be presented, including awards for the best SMME Promoters, the best SMME Journalist and more than 25 awards to the best SMMEs in Africa. Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) owner/managers with 1 to 200 full-time employees can enter or be entered into any one of the Sector Award categories. In order to be considered for the award, nominations should be received by the organisers before 31 July 2003. Best Regards, David S. Fick, EMail: WhlgEagle@aol.com Author of Entrepreneurship in Africa: A Study of Successes http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1567205364