Fifteen young entrepreneurs from South Africa have been given the opportunity to place their products on the shelves of Woolworths stores in Johannesburg and Cape Town as part of the Youth Makers 2026 program. This initiative transforms small side jobs into full-fledged retail opportunities.
Visitors can purchase products from this new wave of entrepreneurs during the Woolworths Youth Makers demonstration. In Johannesburg, the showcase will take place at Mall of Africa from July 22 to August 2, with a meeting with the founders scheduled for August 1 and 2. In Cape Town, the event will be held at Cavendish Square from August 26 to September 6, with a meeting with the founders set for September 5 and 6.
The demonstration is the final stage of the annual Woolworths Youth Makers program, which helps young businesspeople transform growing ventures into retail-ready brands. The program is open to South African citizens aged 18 to 35 who own businesses in the food, beauty, fashion, home goods, and related sectors.
This year, the competition attracted hundreds of applications, after which 24 finalists were selected to present their projects to the Woolworths judging panel. Founders were evaluated based on criteria such as creativity, authenticity, product quality, business viability, and growth potential. Ultimately, fifteen entrepreneurs were chosen, representing sectors such as fashion, beauty, wellness, agriculture, publishing, design, and home goods.
Each winner received support from Woolworths retail experts, consultations from business advisors, marketing assistance, a grant of over 130,000 rand, and the right to sell their products directly to Woolworths customers in flagship stores across the country.
The winning companies cover a wide range of fields—from fashion and ceramics to agriculture and children's book publishing. Among them are: Patrick Ferguson Designs, offering fashion inspired by African craftsmanship; UBaliwe, creating handmade ceramics; Patns by Buhle, developing African patterns; KwaDube Essentials, specializing in premium home fragrances; Hide and Suede, producing leather goods; Marapyane Farms, growing fresh vegetables; Walk Fresh, a sneaker care brand; E_mania, a sustainable fashion production studio; VICTORI, offering luxurious African street wear; WELL N WELL, producing plant-based almond yogurts; Girl Boss Africa, producing natural skin and hair care products; Glolooks Kiddies, creating children's hair care products; Maru Maphiri Group, publishing educational books; and Noac, focusing on slow fashion women's wear.
While the grant helped founders invest in their businesses, many participants believe that the mentorship support was the most beneficial. Working alongside Woolworths experts and business consultants, the founders refined all aspects—from pricing and production to quality control and retail readiness. The program focused on helping entrepreneurs build scalable and sustainable businesses, not just popular products.
The first Youth Makers demonstration took place at Woolworths Gateway in Durban in late June and early July. According to Woolworths, customers purchased over 300 products, generating revenue exceeding 200,000 rand for the participating companies. Many founders also noted an increase in online sales following the event. Zinsi Mqododela, Woolworths Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, stated that 'the huge success of the Durban showcase confirms that the Youth Makers model works. Access to mentorship, funding, and the Woolworths customer base can make a significant contribution to small businesses.'
Although the issue of youth unemployment in South Africa cannot be solved by one retail program, Youth Makers is one of the few initiatives that goes beyond simply providing mentorship and funding, giving young entrepreneurs access to customers—something small businesses often lack. For shoppers, it is a chance to discover local brands before they become famous, and for founders, it is an opportunity to test their business in one of the country's largest retail environments and transition from a side hustle to a sustainable venture.
As part of Mandela Month, South African youth are demonstrating their activity by addressing issues that have long been discussed by adults. The national school curriculum allows teenagers to actively participate in solving social problems.
Mandela Day is observed on Saturday and is dedicated to the birthday of former President Nelson Mandela. This day calls upon South Africans to spend 67 minutes on charity—one minute for each year he dedicated to public service. This year's theme is 'The fight against poverty and inequality remains in our hands.'
The Future Leaders Challenge program is conducted by AECI in collaboration with Primestars and YouthStart Foundation. Last year, it reached 8,216 students across five provinces. Participants presented 386 projects covering topics such as poverty, lack of hygiene facilities, gender-based violence, drugs, banditry, and elderly care.
The twenty-sixth round of the program is currently underway, which will conclude with a leaders' summit and the Future Leader Awards ceremony in October. Ten teams made it to the shortlist this year. One team developed the Student Helper application, which connects students with teachers, automatically checks homework, and motivates students. Another team, working on the Desk Revival Project, focuses on repairing damaged desks and chairs in schools instead of replacing them.
A student named Talenta Mbatata independently created a panic button application connected to local police stations. Other teams tackled topics rarely covered in schools. BKS Creative Hub uses art and music to discuss substance abuse and teenage banditry. The Her Rise project combines issues of poverty, gender-based violence, mental health, and the status of girls in STEM. The Hands of Change initiative aims to solve the problem of insufficient sanitation facilities in poor schools.
Award recipients do not stop at achievement. Winners receive mentorship through Seed Academy to turn their school ideas into viable small businesses. Organizers are also considering providing seed grants, creating a network of mentors connecting students with AECI staff, and conducting follow-up checks after six to twelve months to assess the sustainability of these ideas. The organizers stated in their submission that 'this is not the end of the road, it is the beginning of real work.'
