It is safe to say that black women in South Africa are doing it for themselves, from the newly-announced cabinet consisting of 50 percent women to the first black African woman to summit Mount Everest.
Two Stellenbosch University students, Maambele (Ambie) Khosa 23-year old doing her postgraduate diploma in marketing and Vutomi Khosa 21-year old LLB student decided to continue this trend by starting their own gift business, Grandeur Giftery.
Maambele Khosa and Vutomi Khosa founders of Grandeur Giftery. PHOTO: Supplied
The inspiration behind the business was based on how we have been personally gifting each other and the love you feel when receiving a gift,”says Vutomi.
“For two black women like ourselves we feel inspired that we can make an impact in other people’s lives through our business” says Maambele.
Vutomi says that “You don’t always see women work together so for us to be able to work together and inspire other people means a lot to us.”
Maambele and Vutomi who share the same surname call each other “sister-sister.”
They did not know each other before arriving in Stellenbosch University although both of them hail from Limpopo.
It is this sister bond that forms the basis of our business of trying to foster relationships between students and spreading love and joy,” says Vutomi.
Michelle Swart receiving her gift from Eloize Fry, office manager at the Centre for student recruitment Stellenbosch University via Grandeur Giftery. PHOTO: Supplied.
Eloize Fry office manager at the Centre for student recruitment at Stellenbosch University also used the service saying that “they were so friendly, helpful and accommodating.”
I wanted a cake, they asked the right questions and bought it within 40 minutes.”
“I was happy with the service and delivery. It was a nice cake and they stuck to my budget as well” says Fry.
Nicola Taljaard (23) Law student receiving her gift. PHOTO: Supplied.
Nicola Taljaard 23 year old final year Law student at Stellenbosch University who received a gift on Thursday 30 May says that “I got a birthday gift via Grandeur Gifts today, and it was super special.”
I received a phone call saying someone was outside of my complex and when I went outside Ambie was waiting with my gift.”
“She was so sweet and it was really special. They packaged my gift so nicely and made it really personal. I think it’s such a great idea and was definitely the best surprise of my day” says Taljaard.
Maambele says that “Our business is not necessarily about profit, it is not our priority but rather seeing people smiling and letting them know people care about them.”
Sometimes we do it at a loss but at the end of the day it is about seeing the emotion on the person’s face receiving the gift,” says Maambele.
“In the next 12 months we wouldn’t mind having access to the university system so that students can buy each other gifts using Call Order Bar (COB) on their student cards,” says Maambele Khosa.
“We are in the process of collaborating with other students. In essence we are trying to make it a student centered business and inspire other student entrepreneurs especially women” says Maambele.