Two years ago Avril Bromfield from Henley on Klip took a giant leap of faith: she quit her job in office administration to become a fulltime entrepreneur. Initially she did not start out as an entrepreneurial expert – as is the case with many start-up business owners. Apart from an enormous amount of hard work, starting a business without money or financial backing was a daunting endeavour.

In 2016 Avril signed-up for the eight month Enterprising Women Programme, as offered by the bhive Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) on the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the North-West University (NWU).Through her participation in this Short Learning Programme (SLP), Avril was empowered to not only overcome various challenges but also to fully develop her business idea into a relevant, sustainable and most importantly; an income generating enterprise. Today she is the proud owner of Debant Enterprise (trading as Keyhole Garden South Africa).

According to Avril the desire to secure a sustainable financial income for her family together with the certainty that she had a workable product was the main driving forces behind her decision to become an entrepreneur. Through her business, Avril supplies communities with an innovative organic vegetable gardening solution for domestic use or to be implemented as part of sustainable community development intervention.

“When I look back on my journey – and more so my participation in the Enterprising Women Programme, I can see a clear change in my outlook towards business and my confidence as a business woman. Before joining the programme I lacked knowledge and as such my business suffered. Through the programme I learnt that as a woman and as an entrepreneur I am never without a support network” says Avril.

For more information on Debant Enterprise (trading as Keyhole Garden South Africa) contact Avril on 072 866 3395.

More about the EWP

The Enterprising Women Programme is an eight month programme geared to provide business support services to women who wish to establish their own businesses.  During the course of the programme, participants will be taken through a programme to explore ideas, develop business models and subsequently initiative their businesses with confidence and entrepreneurial know-how.

“A female entrepreneur works hard every day to realise her goals, be it to support her family, to supplement her income or, to turn her hobby into a viable business,” explains Johann Landsberg, Manager of the bhive Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) on the Vanderbijlpark Campus. The bhive EDC represents the hub in which the short learning programme is presented.

Since its inception in 2015 the programme has grown in leaps and bounds and has in recent months also been extended to Sasolburg and Pretoria.  The programme represents an NQF Level 5 certification.

The programme coordinator is Leonie Greyling, an entrepreneurship development professional, and together with a team of experienced presenters – representing both academia and the business sector, the programme offers women the opportunity to give flight to their dreams.

Avril Bromfield with a replica of a keyhole vegetable garden.