First-year BCom Extended Programme students, based at the University of Pretoria’s Mamelodi Campus, have decided to lend a helping hand to the local community in collaboration with the Mamelodi Business Clinic. Their services were extended to a sowing enterprise named Contra-Garment Specialists through the development of a bookkeeping system and reconciliation of all their transactions for the preceding two financial periods. This was done not only to ensure that all their records were up to date, but to also teach them the fundamental principles of bookkeeping. The group of first-years goes by the name TAM Consulting (each letter resembles each of their first names) and believes that every person has the ability to lend a helping hand to those in need.

 

With regard to the sowing enterprise, the students identified the lack of basic accounting knowledge and skills as a prominent shortfall of the business’ success. This is mainly owing to the fact that both the owners and workforce thereof are elderly and have a limited educational background. After an extensive discussion with the Mamelodi Business Clinic coordinators, the students concluded that the existing needs of the enterprise offered an opportunity for the students to bring about a noticeable change in the social business.

 

The creative and generous minds behind TAM Consulting are Takunda Nyandundu, Amogelang Motsei and Matladi Magane. Their motto is “Better futures can be created today, through small, meaningful actions.”