ORT Jet Cape Town closed off another year of supporting small businesses with an event geared to acknowledge and thank the many donors, mentors, and partners whose contributions assist the organisation with its successful work. Themed ‘The Butterfly Effect’, the focus of the function was to highlight how interconnectedness can bring benefits.
This positive impact is very significant when one considers the role of the mentors within the ORT Jet system. These volunteers give of their time, business knowledge and guidance to support business owners in their entrepreneurial journeys. The benefits are clear when one considers the experience of Veronica Yankelowitz of the Petals Group, who expressed her heartfelt gratitude to ORT Jet for the support they provided to her when Covid first hit and posed a significant threat to the survival of the business. “Through the guidance of ORT Jet, I started a new business, the Flower Cafe, in a warehouse in Woodstock. Done out of desperation, I would never have imagined that this business could become what it is today: just four years later, we’ve had over 18 000 customers walk through the door, and the business is thriving,” Veronica enthused.
Ariella Kuper, a successful auctioneer and maritime sales specialist, delivered the keynote address. She emphasised how mentorship and networking have fueled her personal and professional growth. One of the lessons she learned from life’s challenges is that, “We are never alone. There’s always a community around us. As I discovered, you will find that there is a network of people you may not even realise is there – until you need to call on them.”
The contribution of donors was also highlighted during the evening with CEO Bev Da Costa commenting, “More than money, our donors are making an investment in our society.” Similarly, the Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies, which contributes to ORT Jet Cape Town, sees its role as improving society. Executive Director Daniel Bloch commented that, “This is a big reason why initiatives like ORT Jet are so important.”
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