What began as an entrepreneurship programme for students at the North-West University (NWU), has expanded into a community initiative that is helping local business owners grow their enterprises.
The Student Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion (STEP) programme at the Mahikeng Campus now includes community members, with one participant already translating classroom learning into business growth and national recognition.
The 2026 intake attracted more than 400 applications, with about 200 students and community entrepreneurs now participating in the 10-month programme. The expansion marks the first time the Mahikeng Campus has opened STEP to members of the public, reflecting the focus of the university on entrepreneurship, skills development and local economic participation.
Among those benefiting is Tebogo Masobe, founder of Sobaestro's Café in Lomanyaneng village. After first joining STEP in 2025 but being unable to complete the programme because of business commitments, he returned this year and says the training has changed the way he manages his business.
"Since the beginning of the year, when I enrolled in the programme offered by Dr Kezell Klinck, I have gained practical skills and valuable insights that have helped shape my business," said Tebogo.
He said one of the action-planning tools of the programme helped him set business goals and implement practical improvements.
"Through the action working plan strategy I have seen positive change in my business in a six-month period, which resulted in many opportunities opening up," he said.
Those opportunities included speaking at the 2026 Manufacturing Indaba on unlocking agro-processing value chains, receiving the Grassroots Start-up of the Year award from the Mafikeng Digital Innovation Hub and finishing second in the Township Entrepreneurs Alliance Pitch Competition. His restaurant business, Sobaestro's Café, operates three outlets in Lomanyaneng, while also incorporating hydroponics and aquaponics into its operations.
Dr Klinck, a certified STEP trainer in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, said the programme focuses on practical learning that enables participants to build sustainable businesses.
"Sometimes the difference we make as an institution is not only measured in numbers, certificates or applications. It is measured in confidence restored, businesses strengthened, families supported and communities uplifted," she said.
According to Dr Klinck, the inclusion of community entrepreneurs alongside students broadens the impact of the programme beyond the university by creating opportunities for shared learning, mentorship and business development.
"STEP is not only building entrepreneurs. It is building people. It is building confidence. It is building futures," she said.
By combining practical business training with community participation, the STEP programme is positioning entrepreneurship as a pathway to job creation, local economic growth and sustainable livelihoods, demonstrating how university expertise can extend beyond the classroom to benefit surrounding communities.
Tebogo Masobe is a multi-award winning entrepreneur and innovator.
