The Inspirers: South African entrepreneur brings hope to community

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02:31

The unemployment crisis in South Africa continues to worsen.

The unemployment rate in the country rose to 27.5 percent in the third quarter of 2018 from 27.2 percent in the period of the previous year.

It's the highest jobless rate since the third quarter of 2017.

The unemployment rate in the township of Mamelodi is even higher than the national average.

But a young entrepreneur is determined to break that chain. Her name is Sibongile Rakgatjane.

She's the first woman to open a coffee shop business in Mamelodi.

While she did enjoy the corporate life as a software engineer, she felt the need to give back to her community.

"People in the township are used to drinking instant coffee…so it's a sort of mindset shift, so we have to do a lot of educating, but I also realized that this idea is new to them…I think it's a balance of people who don't know coffee and who do know coffee," said Rakgatjane.

Her establishment also provides space for networking for young black professionals.

"I also have a book exchange, so it's about educating the people who live here," said Rakgatjane. "We can show the world that we are also progressive."

Rakgatjane's story shows that young people can excel regardless of their circumstances and background. Moreover, they can set their own agenda, such as starting their own businesses, in the areas they grew up in.