Where Lived Experience
Becomes Structured
Knowledge.
We transform African entrepreneurial journeys into strategy, systems, and scalable learning frameworks for institutions, corporates, and government.
What Is RFTT?
Too often entrepreneurship stories are celebrated, but not codified, taught, or embedded into systems that institutions can use.
RFTT closes that gap by turning African entrepreneurial journeys into structured knowledge, learning tools and scalable engagement models.
From inspiration to instruction
RFTT helps move entrepreneurial storytelling beyond motivation into structured teaching and learning.
From isolated stories to usable systems
We translate lived enterprise journeys into case studies, workbooks, dialogues and practical institutional tools.
From intention to institutional delivery
RFTT gives schools, universities, corporates and partners a way to engage African entrepreneurship with structure and relevance.
25,000+
young people reached through YLED
100+
schools engaged across programmes
21+ years
entrepreneurship and leadership delivery
GIBS + YLED + RFTT
research and practice grounding
Rising from the Township
Inspiring Stories of South African Entrepreneurs
By Dr Steven Zwane & Yamkela Khoza Tywakadi
We do not only inspire.
We codify.
We structure.
We institutionalise.
Entrepreneurs
Each entrepreneur represents case material, teaching content, ecosystem insight, and lived strategy.
Imbizo Shisanyama
Rita Zwane
Rita Zwane pioneered the formalisation of the shisanyama industry in South Africa, transforming an informal township food concept into a scalable hospitality brand. Her story highlights resilience, operational discipline, and community-rooted enterprise growth.
Rita Zwane
Imbizo Shisanyama
Rita Zwane
Imbizo Shisanyama
Sheldon Tatchell
Legends Barbershop
Sheldon Tatchell
Legends Barbershop
Nozipho Tshabalala
Conversation Strategist
Nozipho Tshabalala
Conversation Strategist
Themba Makamo
VAYA Footwear
Themba Makamo
VAYA Footwear
Nomso Kana
Simsciex Technologies
Nomso Kana
Simsciex Technologies
Dr Steven Zwane
RFTT / YLED
Dr Steven Zwane
RFTT / YLED
Candice Thurston
Candi & Co
Candice Thurston
Candi & Co
Ntuthuko Shezi
Livestock Wealth
Ntuthuko Shezi
Livestock Wealth
Veronica Motloutsi
SmartDigital
Veronica Motloutsi
SmartDigital
Tebogo Phiri
Disoufeng
Tebogo Phiri
Disoufeng
“To transform township entrepreneurship stories into codified knowledge systems that can be taught, scaled, researched, and embedded within universities, corporates, and policy frameworks.”
Dr Steven Zwane
Founder, RFTT
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Knowledge You Can Own. Tools You Can Use.
Ready to Partner?
We invite universities, corporates, funders, and government partners to collaborate in building a structured, research-informed, African-centred entrepreneurship education ecosystem.