January 2019.
Agnes Pitso’s dream of nourishing her community with locally created delicacies is taking off. Her ambition of building a business is centred on a mobile catering kitchen within De Aar and other small Northern Cape towns. With the help of a significant financial grant and ongoing business mentorship that delivers guidance and essential skills, this micro enterprise is already on the go.
“My dream for 2019 is to establish and expand my business so that everyone in my community and surrounding towns will book Aggie’s Kitchen for their events and catering needs. My vision is to one day own a restaurant and the mobile kitchen has made it possible for me to keep working on my dream, whilst being able to support my family,” explained Agnes Pitso, local entrepreneur and owner of Aggie’s Kitchen.
De Aar Solar Power provided the capital to fund the purchase of this mobile kitchen, as well as stocking it with the necessary equipment and other essentials.
“I also received funds for business support services such as marketing materials, bookkeeping and compliance for my business, which helps me tender for work and what’s more, they provided me with a personal business mentor who helps me through the hard times, gives me advice and encouragement, as well as financial guidance such as spending money sensibly and saving for slower months,” added Pitso.
Aggie’s Kitchen can be spotted at events and other popular social hotspots, such as weekend sport gatherings or school events. Even weddings and birthdays are opportunities for her to provide food that speaks to her community. Chips, Pap & Stew, Roosterkoek, Bunny Chow, Chicken Feet, Giblets, Chicken Livers, Pap & Chakalaka, Siphahla, Vetkoek and Boerewors Rolls are amongst the favourites. “Sometimes the kitchen is at my house and I open it for the neighbours and local people who just pop over,” said Pitso.
The solar plant’s support of this local 100% black woman-owned enterprise is part of their accelerator programme that is at the heart of De Aar Solar Power’s Enterprise Development strategy.
“If you haven’t yet sampled the delicious foodstuff on offer from Aggie’s Kitchen that is available in De Aar and the nearby towns, be sure to keep an eye out, this SMME is certainly going places,” concluded Hlengiwe Radebe, Economic Development Director for De Aar Solar Power.
