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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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General
Business Development
Education & Development
Socio-Economic Development

General FAQ's

When was Avo Vision founded?
Avo Vision was founded in 1996 in Kensington, Johannesburg. With over 27 years of experience, we have been weaving ideas and forging impactful partnerships.
What is Avo Vision’s B-BBEE status
Avo Vision is a proud level-1 BBBEE value add partner.
What is Avo’s relationship to BTS?
BTS is a shareholder in Avo Vision.
Which geographical areas does Avo Vision operate in?
Avo Vision's headquarters are situated in Gauteng, specifically in Bedfordview, Germiston, a stone's throw away from its humble beginnings. Avo Vision proudly maintains a national presence that covers all nine provinces in South Africa. Our projects extend to diverse work environments, including some of the most remote and challenging communities.
Which sectors does Avo Vision work in?
Avo Vision has undertaken projects for numerous clients across diverse sectors, including but not limited to Financial Services, Environmental, Retail, Property, Government, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Mining, and Non-Profit organisations. 

We work with these entities to cater to their specific industry and organisational needs and goals. Our expertise stems from a robust leadership, project management, and operations team composed of individuals with extensive cross-sector experience and a keen understanding of context.

Business Development

What do your Business Development services entail?
Our business development services include providing holistic support such as business acumen/skills training, business incubation, mentorship, and networking opportunities aimed at building capacity and meeting specific business goals.
How can business development benefit my company?
Whether it’s for your organisation’s suppliers or your organisation, business development can enhance your business’s competitive advantage, improve operational efficiency, increase profitability, and better position a business to be ready for funders and opportunities.
What kind of businesses do you work with?
We work with a diverse range of businesses and entrepreneurs, young and older, aspiring and established, informal and formal. Our team comprises a rich well of expertise in business across several disciplines and industries, positioning us to support and work with various kinds of businesses.
How do you approach skills training within your business development service?
At the heart of every business lies its leadership, employees, and finances. Our business development programmes/solutions are underpinned by financial literacy and personal mastery and further address all common challenges of business such as efficiency, teamwork, problem-solving, identifying solutions, networking, funding readiness, and many more topics. These solutions are presented in an engaging, experiential, and language-agnostic way by facilitators with relevant experience and a neck of business.
Can you assist with securing funding or connecting us to potential funders?
One of the topics covered in our business development programme and curriculum is “funding readiness” which tackles whether a business is ready to approach funders as it relates to understanding what funders are looking for, business growth, admin, compliance, and mindset.

Small Business Development

How can small business development help my business?
Statistics show that between 70 and 80 percent of small businesses fail within the first five years. At Avo Vision, our small business development program/solutions are designed to counter these odds by offering vital support and tools for growth and success. 
Our goal is to create resilient entrepreneurs, empowering them to navigate the entrepreneurial journey with confidence.
What support do you offer to entrepreneurs & businesses?
Our business development solutions adopt a holistic approach, centered around personal and business finance at its core. This strong foundation is further supported by an array of essential business acumen skills, personal mastery, mentorship, networking, and reflective components. The result is a world-class business development program designed to empower entrepreneurs for success.
In which Geographical areas does Avo Vision offer this service?
Avo Vision boasts a national footprint and a proven track record of successfully executing programs in diverse communities across South Africa, including rural, peri-urban, and urban areas. Our extensive presence and reach provide us with a unique appreciation and deep understanding of the contexts, people, and challenges we collaborate with.
What is the profile of your trainers?
At Avo Vision, our team of training partners hails from diverse walks of life and communities across South Africa. Carefully handpicked, this team consists of seasoned facilitators, entrepreneurs, and master trainers, each equipped with a profound understanding of business concepts, practical experience, and the essential soft skills necessary to create an engaging and impactful learning journey.
What is your impact and footprint when it comes to business development?
Since 2009, We have supported over 5,563 small businesses in South Africa.

Enterprise Development

Do your enterprise development programmes cater to start-ups and established businesses?
Absolutely. Our Enterprise development programmes can be tailored to meet entrepreneurs and businesses at the level they are at, without diluting the impactfulness and value of the programme.
How can your enterprise development services assist with accessing funding opportunities?
Our Enterprise Development solutions are geared at creating successful, sustainable, and profitable SMMEs that can understand the value and in turn offer value to funders. We do not consider entrepreneurs as beneficiaries but as future industry leaders that require the right help to set them up for success.
How does business incubation support enterprise development?
Business incubation offers a unique opportunity to nurture and accelerate entrepreneurial and business potential. These programs provide crucial support to entrepreneurs, helping them scale their ventures and navigate the pitfalls that come with business growth. 

By creating a conducive environment, incubation programs enable entrepreneurs and businesses to explore growth strategies, learn from peers, and develop the confidence to execute their plans effectively. In the context of supplier development, business incubation plays a pivotal role in enhancing an organization's value chain. Through targeted capacity building and fostering business acumen, these programs empower suppliers to better serve your business and meet its evolving needs.
What is the difference between business development and business incubation?
Business development and business incubation are two closely related yet distinct concepts that play vital roles in fostering growth and success for entrepreneurs and businesses. Business development primarily focuses on identifying growth opportunities, devising strategies, and developing essential skills to explore new avenues for revenue generation. 

It involves a proactive approach to expand the business's reach and achieve sustainable growth. On the other hand, business incubation revolves around creating a nurturing environment to unlock the full potential of startups and businesses. This nurturing is achieved by providing access to mentoring, essential resources, market connections, and supportive networks. By offering guidance and assistance, business incubation aims to accelerate the growth trajectory of these ventures.

It's worth noting that these two concepts often complement each other and are frequently implemented concurrently. The combination of business development and business incubation can provide a powerful foundation for entrepreneurs and businesses to thrive in today's dynamic and competitive markets.
How does your organisation approach enterprise development?
We offer a hands-on approach to our enterprise development programs, providing a practical and interactive curriculum that covers various aspects of business management. Our comprehensive program includes topics such as finance, operations, leadership, governance, human resources, networking, access to markets, mentorship, funding opportunities, and much more.

Property Finance

What is the uMaStandi programme, and how does it support micro-property?
The uMaStandi programme is an initiative that offers support to micro-property entrepreneurs in South African Townships. It sets up micro-property businesses in the townships and provides training simulations to equip entrepreneurs with property management skills, including designing bankable plans, navigating construction challenges, and operating rental businesses.
What are the potential benefits of partnering with the uMaStandi programme?
Partnering with the uMaStandi programme offers several benefits for your company. It provides an opportunity to enhance your corporate social responsibility efforts by supporting a program that directly addresses social and economic challenges. Additionally, it can help foster brand visibility, build positive stakeholder relationships, and contribute to the long-term development of South Africa's property sector.
How does the uMaStandi programme work?
The journey starts with a capacity-building programme where aspiring rental property owners go through an interactive property simulation programme where they learn about various concepts associated with the rental property business. Once they’ve completed the online or face-to-face programme, participants go through a process of assessing their readiness to begin the process i.e. deposit, identified property, a title deed, house plans, etc.
What is considered a bankable project?
The uMaStandi programme ensures that all properties meet three criteria. the property has to be paid for operating expenses, and service loans, and still be profitable.
Can our company target specific townships or regions through the uMaStandi programme?
Yes, the uMaStandi programme is flexible in terms of geographic targeting. Your company can work with the programme to identify specific townships or regions where you would like to support micro-property entrepreneurs. This allows for a more focused approach that aligns with your company's goals and priorities.

Education and Development

What does Avo’s Education and Development service entail?
Avo Vision offers a range of skills development and education programmes aimed at empowering individuals in various spheres of their lives. These programmes are aimed at addressing.
Who can benefit from Avo’s Education and Development programmes?
Our training programmes are designed to benefit individuals, businesses, and organisations alike. We have a track record of executing public benefit education and skills development initiatives in rural, peri-urban, and urban communities on behalf of our clients. Additionally, we work with businesses and organisations to provide workplace/worksite training for their employees and suppliers to improve skills and better contribute to business success. Avo’s footprint enables our clients to scale with efficiency, the impact of initiatives.
Are Avo’s programmes customisable?
Absolutely! We understand that different organisations have unique requirements and goals. Avo offers customizable programmes to tailor-fit the content and delivery to match specific needs and contexts. Whether you need training for a community, a small team, or an entire company, we can work with you to create a bespoke training solution.
How are Avo’s programmes delivered?
Our training programmes are delivered through a combination of methods to suit different learning preferences. We offer both in-person training sessions held at a venue of preference or convenience within a community or workplace. client premises. Additionally, we provide virtual training options through webinars and online platforms, making it convenient for remote participants to access our programmes.
What is the duration of Avo’s programmes?
The duration of our programmess varies based on the specific topic and the depth of the content. Some programs may be as short as one day, while others can span several weeks or months. We aim to provide flexible options to accommodate the schedules of individuals and organisations, ensuring that participants can receive valuable training within their available time frames.

Community Education

Which areas does AvoVision operate in?
Avo Vision's extensive national footprint enables us to operate in hard-to-reach areas and diverse communities across South Africa. We provide skills development programmes that are language agnostic and are accommodative of the context in which we execute.
Who are your programmes for?
Our programs are designed to cater to individuals from all walks of life and are distinguished by their dynamic nature and innovative design methodology. We offer a diverse range of engaging and adaptable programs that address the unique profiles of our participants. Our programs are tailored to cater to youth, adults, and seniors at various levels—be it in the community, workplace, or entrepreneurial settings
What makes your community education programmes unique?
Our programs are unique for several reasons. Firstly, they are language-agnostic and picture-based, facilitating effective communication across diverse audiences. Secondly, our strong emphasis on experiential learning empowers participants with the confidence to act. Avo holds a leading position in this space, with over 27 years of experience perfecting and adapting our delivery and design methodology. This ongoing refinement allows us to maintain a competitive advantage over competitors and assures our clients of world-class service.
What is the profile of Avo facilitators?
Our network of training partners boasts diverse expertise across various disciplines, including entrepreneurship, business development, personal finance, life skills, personal mastery, and leadership. 

This wide-ranging knowledge allows them to have an extensive understanding of the subject matters and contexts they preside over. With grassroots-level experience in serving their communities, they possess an intimate familiarity with the local context and socio-economic conditions. This equips them to communicate effectively in the local language, ensuring that the initiatives we implement are relatable and have a profound impact.
How does Avo measure the success of its community education programmes?
"If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." Our delivery methodology places a strong emphasis on the 'Monitoring and Evaluation' of all our programmes. This approach enables our team to continuously improve the effectiveness of the programmes, measure their impact, and provide valuable information and insights. This instills confidence in the work we do and the investment you've made as an organization.

Early Childhood Development

What is the Seeds for Growth Programme?
The Seeds for Growth programme is an enterprise development initiative by Avo, dedicated to empowering Early Childhood Development practitioners with essential business management skills for sustainable growth. Through this programme, we nurture the seeds of success, fostering thriving businesses in the ECD sector that are sustainable and profitable.
What makes Avo equipped to support ECDs?
Our team consists of experts from a range of disciplines such as curriculum design, entrepreneurship, and business management.
What makes your programme the perfect solution?
Our ECD practitioner development program is designed to be language-agnostic, picture-based, and simulation-based fostering an interactive and dynamic learning environment. It offers ECD principals a transformative business boot camp experience, catalyzing and driving remarkable growth and success.
What is the duration of the programme?
The program spans several months, with each session dedicated to a specific concept. This unique format enables practitioners and employees to engage actively with the concepts, experiment, and reflect on their application between sessions. It promotes a dynamic and iterative learning process, fostering deeper understanding and growth throughout the program.
What is the curriculum of the ECD center development programme?
Our ECD center development programme curriculum covers topics such as fundraising, marketing, managing customers, managing people, business planning, and governance.

Life Skills

What does the "Life Skills" service entail, and how can it benefit individuals?
The "Life Skills" service offers a range of training and awareness programmes focusing on essential topics such as personal finance, working in a team, health, emotional intelligence (EQ), interpersonal skills, and personal mastery. By participating in these programmes, individuals gain valuable social skills, insights, and practical knowledge to enhance their overall well-being, personal growth, and success in various aspects of life.
Who can benefit from life skills? Is it suitable for individuals of all ages?
Life skills are beneficial for individuals of all ages, from adolescents to adults. Whether you are a student, a young professional, a parent, or a seasoned employee, our programs are tailored to address societal challenges. We believe that life skills are vital for personal development and are essential throughout one's life journey.
What sets your life skills service apart from other training programmes?
Avo Vision has a rich history of pioneering life skills training and awareness programs, starting from the early 2000s with community awareness initiatives focused on HIV and AIDS, sexual reproductive health, and urban food gardening. Over the years, our programs have expanded to cover a wide range of life skill topics, making a positive impact on individuals and communities.
Are Avo’s life skills programmes customisable?
Yes, Our programme can be customized to address your organisation’s unique requirements and goals. Whether it's team-building exercises, conflict resolution workshops, or wellness initiatives, we collaborate with organizations to design programs that align with their objectives and promote a thriving work culture and or community.
Are Avo’s programmes SETA accredited?
Our programmes are not SETA accredited however, our curriculum is SETA aligned. Avo Vision is a SETA-accredited training service provider.

Socio-Economic Development

What is Avo’s approach to Socio-Economic Development?
Avo Vision is deeply committed to tackling South Africa's pressing challenges of poverty, inequality, and unemployment head-on and partnering with other organisations who have heeded the call. We firmly believe in the life-changing potential of education, having witnessed firsthand the profound impact that access to knowledge can create within communities, workplaces and families. Furthermore, we recognize that targeted efforts in entrepreneurship can play a pivotal role in addressing issues of inequality and unemployment, driving intentional and sustainable change.
How does Avo measure the effectiveness of Socio-Economic Development initiatives?
Our Monitoring and Evaluation department serves as the vigilant guardian of each project's progress, employing a range of evaluation activities rooted in the theory of change principles. Furthermore, our dedicated team meticulously prepares routine project reports, offering insights into achievements, challenges, and valuable lessons learned along the way.
How does Avo collaborate with local communities and organisations?
Our groundbreaking bottom-of-the-pyramid delivery model has established us as a leading force in South Africa, dedicated to nurturing sustainable small training businesses nationwide. We harness the expertise of local trainers and partners, actively sourcing, training, and empowering resourceful, self-driven individuals to become self-employed micro-enterprise training companies, delivering peer-based education within their communities. 

Through comprehensive mentorship and unwavering support, along with intensive training in Life Skills content and effective delivery methods, we equip trainers with the entrepreneurial skills required to manage their small businesses. Collaborating with community stakeholders, including churches, leaders, and local government entities, Avo effectively executes initiatives that drive meaningful impact and transformative change.
How does Avo ensure that Socio-Economic Development projects align with our values and objectives?
Ensuring that our Socio-Economic Development projects are in harmony with your values and objectives is a top priority at Avo Vision. We kick-start a collaborative conversation with your team to truly grasp your core values, mission, and specific goals. This crucial understanding serves as the compass for designing and executing projects that resonate with your organizational spirit. Throughout the project journey, we uphold transparent communication, frequently engaging with your team to guarantee our efforts remain closely knit with your vision. This collaborative approach maximizes the positive impact we collectively bring to fruition.
What is the process of selecting specific communities or areas for your Socio-Economic Development projects?
Avo Vision collaborates closely with our clients to determine strategic areas of focus and priority for their workplace, community empowerment, and enterprise development initiatives. In situations where a specific geographical focus isn't defined, we extend our efforts to communities that stand to gain the most, such as rural and peri-urban areas. Moreover, we extend our Socio-Economic Development initiatives to areas surrounding our clients' operations, aiming to uplift neighboring communities and businesses in their ecosystem.

Food Security

What does the food security service entail?
Avo offers a multifaceted approach to food security that includes regenerative agriculture solutions and projects surrounding issues of water restoration and soil erosion. Additionally, this service entails supporting individuals involved in urban food gardening and smallholder farming.
How does Avo support individuals and cooperatives in urban farming and smallholder farming?
Avo provides support in two ways. Firstly, the technical skills “how to” surrounding subsistence and commercial farming. Secondly, Avo provides support in the form of business acumen and business management skills needed to run a sustainable business such as incubation, access to experts/mentoring, and access to markets.
What is “Regenerative Agriculture”?
Regenerative agriculture is a holistic and sustainable approach to farming and land management that seeks to improve and revitalize ecosystems rather than deplete them. It focuses on practices that enhance soil health, biodiversity, and water quality while reducing the use of synthetic inputs and minimizing negative environmental impacts.
What is the importance of addressing food security?
Over 20 million South Africans go to bed hungry every night. Tackling food insecurity is a pressing social issue that directly and indirectly affects all spheres of society.
What is Avo’s approach toward food security and promoting sustainable agriculture?
The food security service encourages sustainable agriculture by supporting small-scale farmers, promoting agroecological practices, and advocating for responsible land management. It also emphasizes the conservation of biodiversity and the reduction of food waste.

Water Conservation

What is the Artisanal Charcoal Incubation Programme?
A green business programme that develops entrepreneurs with a keen interest in the green economy to establish successful green charcoal businesses. These businesses will be taught how to produce international quality and FSC-certified charcoal, using biomass from alien and invasive plants. These businesses are then able to create jobs for local communities and solve the alien and invasive plant crisis South Africa faces and thus contribute to reducing water scarcity, improving biodiversity, and restoring landscapes.
How long is the duration of the programme?
he programme runs over 24 months.
What is the Artisanal Charcoal Incubation programme curriculum?
In the GBVC programme participants learn business skills, how to run a business, access finance, business growth, how to produce international quality charcoal, mentorship, and business coaching.
What conditions are needed for this programme to succeed?
For success, certain conditions need to be present, such as dedicated incubators, sufficient biomass coverage, easy accessibility of biomass, logistical feasibility, land usage agreements, etc.
What does success look like for this programme?
The programme aims to tackle the issue of water scarcity and restoration of land for agricultural use by establishing sustainable and profitable green charcoal businesses thus creating create jobs, restoring water into water systems, and rehabilitating land through alien and invasive plant removal.

Financial Literacy

Why is Financial Literacy Important?
Financial literacy holds immense significance for individuals, communities, and economies. Equipping people with knowledge about managing money empowers them to make informed decisions about savings, investments, and debt. This knowledge fosters better decision-making, safeguards against scams, and promotes economic stability. By understanding financial concepts, individuals can plan for retirement, pursue entrepreneurship, and pass down savvy financial habits to future generations. Ultimately, financial literacy reduces stress, enhances quality of life, and contributes to a more prosperous and equitable society.
What is Avo’s approach to Financial Literacy training?
At Avo, we firmly believe in the transformative power of education and knowledge. We empower individuals by providing the tools for informed decisions that lead to more fulfilling lives. Central to our mission is promoting lasting change through enhanced financial literacy. Our approach utilizes picture-based learning, language-neutral education, and simulated experiences to create an engaging learning environment. This approach encourages discussions about finances that transcend language barriers and inspire confidence and action.
How are Avo’s Financial Literacy initiatives conducted?
Avo offers Financial Literacy programs through various methods, including in-person sessions and Virtual Instructor-Led Training across digital platforms. Our programs cater to communities, workplaces, and organizations, such as schools and unions.
Where does Avo conduct it’s Financial Literacy programmes?
Avo proudly operates throughout South Africa's nine provinces, spanning rural, peri-urban, and urban areas. Our adept training partners are sourced from within these communities, affording us an unparalleled understanding of the contexts in which we operate.
What curriculum does AVo’s Financial Literacy programmes cover?
Our Financial Literacy programmes address a broad spectrum of subjects, ranging from introductory topics such as budgeting and saving for unexpected events to more intricate subjects tailored to specific age groups and circumstances. The topics are intended to mirror our daily lived reality as individuals. 

They encompass preparing for a funeral, understanding insurance, planning for retirement, making substantial purchases, grasping debt and credit concepts, teaching children about money, dispelling myths and beliefs about money, career decision-making, and a wide array of other subjects.
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What our customers say about us

  • “We believe that Avocado Vision has the necessary qualification and experience to assist you in your endeavours. Their Staff is responsive, their processes are clear and transparent, and their communication and reporting keep us informed on progress. Most important they understand the kind of support and development needs small business owners have and how to address them”
    Rirhandzu Sithole
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    Trust for Urban Housing Finance (TUHF)
  • "We found Avocado Vision very capable of delivering our programme on a national level, assisting with their expertise in areas where required and considering the recommendations from our independent Monitoring and Evaluation partner for 2019. Part of our requirements in partnering with a service provider is that they conduct themselves in accordance with our values at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings Ltd which Avocado Vision displayed throughout."
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  • "Environmental and Rural Solutions (ERS) in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, has been collaborating with Avocado Vision for over five years in developing the Green Business value chain in the upper catchment areas of the Umzinvubu River. This partnership which is still growing is helping us reach more people and conserve more resources. The message of building the resilience of our landscapes and ecosystem services is getting wider adoption mainly because of partnerships such as we have with Avocado Vision. As ERS we fully support the effort and resourcing of Avocado Vision so that they are enabled to grow their work and ours as partners."
    Sissie Matela
    Director
    Environmental and Rural Solutions (ERS)
  • “We would rate Avocado Vision’s service at 90%. Their programmes are well designed, their systems work well, their operational team is strong, their facilitators are engaging and Avo knows their target market and what their development needs are.”
    Wendy Bergsteedt
    Group Head of marketing at Coronation Fund Manager
    Coronation Fund Manager
  • “The small business development programme run by Avocado Vision has had and is continuing to have a powerful and enabling influence on these 15 Small Medium and Micro enterprises that have gone through the programme. We recommend Avocado Vision without reservation as a business development programme implementer who has performed beyond expectation and would rate their performance at 92%.”
    Dr Christo Marais
    Chief Director, Natural Resource Manager
    DFFE
  • "We approached Avocado Vision during the course of March 2021 in order for them to assist us with a Consumer Education Initiative. We needed them to complete the proposed project with extremely tight deadlines in order for these initiatives to fall within our financial year for B-BBEE purposes. We had found the team at Avocado Vision to be knowledgable, passionate, detail-oriented, and deadline driven. They managed to complete our project within the deadline and kept us up-to-date throughout the project. The ability of the team to deliver on a big project, within three months, and during the COVID-19 pandemic has immensely impressed us. We will continue to partner with Avocado Vision and will recommend them to any third party that may require the services offered by Avocado Vision."
    Quinton Ferreira
    Industrial Relations (IR) Manager
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  • “We asked Avo to help us equip ECD principles and staff with the kind of business insights, tools, and financial acumen to be able to identify and leverage opportunities for real and measurable business growth and long-term sustainability. I would recommend any organisation to make use of Avocado Vision as a provider.”
    Hannelie de Klerk
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