NHLANGANO – The new United States Ambassador to Swaziland, Maurice Parker, officially opened the new business for Business Plan Competition (BPC) winner Phila Msibi.

 

This event was Parker’s first public business attendance since he came to the country a few months ago. Msibi is the first winner of the competition managed by TechnoServe, which is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and various local sponsors.

 

The business known as SG Power Products and Services is situated at the Corner of Mshengu Street and it specialises in selling chain saws, spares, bolts and nuts and protective clothing; and it also does windscreen and power tool repairs, bush clearing and tree felling.

 

When making his address, Parker said; “This is the first business programme I have participated in here. I am here because the USAID is funding the project that was initiated by the former ambassador here. We would like to see the programme expanding and TechnoServe is in the process of forming a partnership with government at corporate and small and medium enterprise (SME) level.

 

Targeted

 

This business is a great venture for Phila who was able to come up with a great idea and a business plan. This is where a great business will start and there can be success because the owner has great plans and because TechnoServe will ensure that it is a success.”

 

Msibi said the business started operating in August this year, with the assistance from Technoserve through seed capital and business development training.

 

“We targeted this type of business looking at the forestry industry in the Shiselweni region and the fact that there is no supplier in the country,” he said.

 

Msibi disclosed that joining the BPC helped him a lot, especially the training that enabled him to plan his own business.

 

“Winning the competition was just a bonus for me because joining had already helped me a lot with the training we received. Being the winner has also helped in making people recognise me and the business because we get enquiries from as far as Pigg’s Peak about the products we supply now. What is more important about the competition is that the assistance does not end when one wins, we are given back-up technical assistance with anything that has to do with the business,” he explained.

 

Currently the business has four full time staff members, but there are plans to employ more on temporary basis because of the other objectives of the company such as bush clearing and tree felling.