Hustle is a word that typically means different things to different people, but whisper it on the streets of a rural village or township and it means just one thing – opportunity! The informal or “Hustle Economy” offers 1 out of 6 South African’s a chance at earning an income in areas where formal sector jobs are just not available. Hustling for a living or having one (or several) side-hustles has become the informal sector’s answer to some form of job security in a market riddled with unemployment and lack of opportunity.
Africans are the quintessential entrepreneurs and have always used whatever skills they have at their disposal to eke out a living whether as farmers, herders, crafters, artisans or micro-business owners. Africa Foundation has traditionally supported enterprise development and the sustainability of income generation in three primary ways: