VUSA Rugby & Learning Academy learners put their business skills to the test at a Market Day filled with food, creativity and plenty of ambition.
Cape Town, South Africa (24 August 2026) – For a group of Grade 7 learners in Langa, Saturday was all about putting their ideas to the test and finding out what happens when someone actually buys something they created.
The young entrepreneurs from VUSA Rugby & Learning Academy turned Market Day into their own little business playground, selling everything from all-day breakfasts and boerewors rolls to homemade jams, plants and artwork.
But the real win wasn’t how much they sold. For many of the learners, it was their first experience of creating and running a small business. Over several months, they worked on their ideas, figured out what their products would be cost, decided how much to charge and thought about how they would convince people to buy them.
By Saturday, the nerves had largely disappeared. It was all part of VUSA’s Young Entrepreneurs Programme, which aims to show learners that opportunities aren’t always something they have to wait for.
VUSA CEO Nikki Matthews says that transformation is one of the most rewarding parts of Market Day.
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The learners were supported along the way by volunteers from Capitec’s marketing and finance teams, who helped them understand everything from pricing and marketing to knowing their customers and managing a small business.
The biggest reward may have been seeing people stop at their stalls, ask questions and actually spend money on something they had created.
Behind every plate of food, jar of jam, plant and piece of artwork was a young person learning that their ideas have value.
And perhaps that’s the biggest lesson Market Day leaves behind. The young entrepreneurs may have only been running their businesses for a day, but they walked away with the confidence to know that they don’t always have to wait for someone to open a door.
Sometimes, they can build one themselves.
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