Young South African Entrepreneur Makes It As A Finalist For The Azinshe Prize Worth USD$750 000

The Anzisha Prize seeks to award young entrepreneurs who have developed and implemented innovative solutions to social challenges or started successful businesses within their communities. 12 finalists from across Africa will win an all-expenses paid trip to South Africa to be a part of a week-long entrepreneurship workshop and conference at the African Leadership Academy campus on the outskirts of Johannesburg.  The grand prize winners, selected from these finalists, will share prizes worth $75,000 USD.

20 year old Karidas Tshintsholo will be representing South Africa. Karidas grew up in the Ekangala township near Pretoria, with his mother as the sole care giver. His family home is still in the free house that they received from the South African government through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). Karidas has always been a problem solver, someone who sees a challenge and seeks to solve it through whatever resources he has. One of his early ventures was selling wire cars to other kids in his neighborhood, which he offered by organizing his friends into a labor pool, and focusing on the slightly wealthier neighborhoods as markets.

Among his many other entrepreneurial pursuits, Karidas co-founded Push Ismokol’ which designs, manufactures, markets and sells trendy sweat shirts, tee shirts and other clothing items. Alongside his business partner who designs and spearheads the artistic side of the business, Karidas spearheads the strategy, financing and marketing side of the venture. Under the brand name Push Imokol, clothing from the venture has not only been worn in the Ekangala community, but also by actors on local television shows and by local celebrities. Karidas and team utilize unconventional marketing tactics to create a coolness around the brand and increase market opportunity.

The company has 6 employees who are offered gainful employment and trained in the manufacturing process on site. The company has significant demand to meet and Karidas’ vision is to seek grow capacity in order to create more jobs within the community.

According to Karidas, “I believe in making a way for myself and youth in my community to earn a living. Push Ismokol stands for the everyone’s ability to push themselves out of their context and into a better life if they are driven to do so – it is about the hustle for economic advancement.”