Amavulandlela Fund launched for disabled entrepreneurs

A new fund, dubbed the Amavulandlela Fund, has recently been announced, focusing on supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities.

The Amavulandlela Fund will be made up of a R24-million loan funding component as well as a R6-million business support grant.  Aside from individual disabled entrepreneurs, the fund will also be made available to companies and cooperatives of which 26% of people with physical disabilities have a stake in the company. People with physical disabilities will also need to have managerial positions and adequately display that they are active and are recognised in their positions.

The funding scheme, announced by Minister of Small Business Development (SBD) Lindiwe Zulu, will be managed by the Small Enterprise Funding Agency (SMEFA).

The Amavulandlela Fund aims to provide support for disabled entrepreneurs throughout SA

“As a caring government, we envisage a society where people with disabilities, like all South Africans, are accorded their full political, human, social and economic rights,” said Zulu in a press release.

“People with disabilities can and should be active players in the mainstream economy. All barriers must be removed to enable them to access all available opportunities. We are determined to strengthen our support for small businesses that are owned and managed by people with disabilities,” concluded the minister.

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