The Thebe Tourism Group has sponsored R50 000 to develop Lungi\u2019s B&B in Khayelitsha. The B&B was opened by former domestic worker Numalungelo \u201cLungi\u201d Pango in February 2010, but sadly devastated by a shack fire in 2014 before being rebuilt and reopening in September 2015.<\/p>\n
Thebe Tourism Group General Manager, Brett Hendricks, announced the donation after being made aware of this inspirational story in his role as board member of Cape Town Tourism and on the Board Development Fund (BDF) commitee, a programme started in 2014 to assist SMME owners from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.<\/p>\n
Lungi\u2019s B&B placed third at the BDF\u2019s Awards last night, missing out on the two R50 000 prizes which went to Turning Point B&B and Maboneng Township Arts Experience. So moved by the story, Hendricks and his fellow Thebe Tourism Group executive team members agreed to contribute R50 000 to assist in the development of Lungi\u2019s B&B.<\/p>\n
The dream of opening Lungi\u2019s B&B was born while Lungi worked as a domestic worker at a B&B in Sea Point and noticed that tourists were interested in experiencing township life. In 2010 through her employer Marijke Frijters\u2019 assistance in initial fundraising, her dream became a reality with Lungi\u2019s B&B opening its doors in February 2010.<\/p>\n
The R50 000 grant will be used to build a fence and a gate, to create a new garden and replace furniture destroyed by the fire in 2014; to invest in the \u2018Makaha Youth in Art Project\u2019; as well as to further her hospitality education and to get her official tour guide qualifications.<\/p>\n
\u201cLungi\u2019s story is powerful and inspiring and her entreprenneurial spirit and self-belief have been evident throughout her journey,\u201d said Hendricks. \u201cIn many ways it resonates with the Thebe story which came from humble beginnings and has since grown into a significant, respected black-owned business. We aim to empower her in building a sustainable business, and this kind of initiative could be the start of something much bigger for Thebe Tourism going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hendricks also challenged other companies in the private sector to come on board to transform the tourism sector by uplifting community-based businesses. Celebrating their 15th year in the industry next month, there couldn\u2019t be a more fitting way for Thebe Tourism (the oldest black-owned tourism business in South Africa) to celebrate the occasion by empowering Lungi\u2019s B&B in the Makhaza community in Khayelitsha; an action true to Thebe\u2019s pay-off line \u201cBuilding communities. Our bottom line.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn South Africa, the SME market is where our growth will come from and we cannot rely solely on government for funding and support; we, as the private sector, must play a major role in driving innovation, sustainability and transformation in tourism. This, in turn, creates the space for entrepreneurs to engage with their ideas and bring them to fruition. We\u2019ll take Lungi\u2019s experience with us and learn from it as much as she is empowered by Thebe Tourism, that will be part of informing our role in the initiative going forward,\u201d added Hendricks.<\/p>\n
Find out more about Lungi\u2019s B&B by visiting www.lungis.co.za<\/a>. For more information visit www.thebetourism.co.za<\/a> or call 021 551 0288.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Thebe Tourism Group has sponsored R50 000 to develop Lungi\u2019s B&B in Khayelitsha. The B&B was opened by former domestic worker Numalungelo \u201cLungi\u201d Pango in February 2010, but sadly devastated by a shack fire in 2014 before being rebuilt and reopening in September 2015.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1324,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brand","category-news","post_format-post-format-image"],"yoast_head":"\n