I have an interesting story to share with the readers. On Saturday, 1 February, a friend of mine travelled from Ebony Park in Midrand to the Johannesburg CBD to purchase second-hand clothes. Her aim was to resell them.

The items cost her just below R200 and she went back home and started selling them at the local marketplace.

By sunset, she had made over R500.

This means she recovered the money she had spent on her idea and also made more than 150% in revenue. In this country, where poverty and unemployment are rife, these are the kinds of stories we would love to read about.

Very often, young people sit around and wait for government to create jobs for them. Start-up capital is not that easy to get, but any little amount a young person can receive may be what they need to kick-start a business. A R20 note can transform into a R50 if invested wisely.

To all the unemployed youth, instead of harassing people to buy you cigarettes and drinks, ask them to help you start something small. You can grow that small business into something big.

Go all out and explore opportunities, no matter how small they appear. Waiting for someone to give you a job must not be the only option. Push from all sides, and one day you may realise that you do not need a job after all.

Malphia Honwane, Gottenburg eManyeleti