Feature: Chinese training opens new doors for South African women entrepreneurs

Trainees attend the South Africa workshop under the Global Female Entrepreneurs Empowerment Program (GFEEP) in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)

JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- After nearly two decades in business and several work-related trips to China, South African entrepreneur Beauty Sonny found herself back in a classroom, learning to look at her business in a new way.

At the closing ceremony of a China-supported entrepreneurship workshop in Johannesburg on Monday, Sonny described the two-week course as a "14-day MBA."

"We thought we knew our businesses," said Sonny, a director of Monenebe Maintenance and Projects, a company involved in equipment rental.

She said the course introduced practical tools, including the Business Model Canvas, that helped her identify weaknesses in her business model and rethink how to make her business more sustainable.

Sonny was among 61 South African women entrepreneurs who completed the two-week workshop under the Global Female Entrepreneurship Empowerment Program, led by Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU). The initiative aims to strengthen women's entrepreneurial skills through business education and practical training while fostering business cooperation.

For other participants, the lessons addressed challenges that had emerged as their businesses grew. Years ago, Naomi Mashigo and her husband started a small shop in a rural community.

Their shop has since grown into a supermarket employing 14 people. But for Mashigo, a small business owner, expansion has brought new challenges, particularly in managing finances and staff.

She said the training offered practical insights into these challenges, with assignments encouraging participants to examine their own businesses rather than work only with hypothetical cases.

The role of small businesses in creating employment was also highlighted by South African First Lady Tshepo Motsepe, who attended a workshop-related event on Oct. 8. She thanked China for providing training opportunities and encouraged participants to grow their businesses, create more jobs and contribute to their communities.

Gui Bo, a program leader and instructor, said the workshop focused on business model analysis and innovation, helping participants identify weaknesses in their existing operations and explore ways to improve them.

The workshop also brought participants together with Chinese businesses operating in South Africa. According to Gui, more than a dozen entrepreneurs had been connected with Chinese business resources or introduced to potential technical and product solutions.

Beverly Matoro, 46, founder of Bev's Kids Transport in Johannesburg, operates three vehicles carrying more than 60 schoolchildren each day.

She hopes to collaborate with Chinese technology companies to develop an app under her own brand, which she could eventually offer to other school transport operators.

"I would love to sell it to other people who are doing the very same business that I'm doing," she said.

BFSU President Jia Wenjian said the program sought to connect entrepreneurship education with practical business needs while fostering closer ties between Chinese and African communities. He said the university planned to deepen cooperation with enterprises to help translate training into business growth and job creation.

For Sonny, who has already built business ties with China, the two weeks of learning were also a chance to explore what further cooperation might bring.

"The relationship is not ending today," she said, expressing hope for continued support from Chinese partners in strengthening business cooperation in South Africa.

South African First Lady Tshepo Motsepe speaks during the South Africa workshop under the Global Female Entrepreneurs Empowerment Program (GFEEP) in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)

Jia Wenjian, president of Beijing Foreign Studies University, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 12, 2026. TO GO WITH "Feature: Chinese training opens new doors for South African women entrepreneurs" (Xinhua/Chen Wei)

Trainees attend the South Africa workshop under the Global Female Entrepreneurs Empowerment Program (GFEEP) in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)

Trainees attend the South Africa workshop under the Global Female Entrepreneurs Empowerment Program (GFEEP) in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)

South African entrepreneur Beauty Sonny speaks during the closing ceremony of a China-supported entrepreneurship workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Wei)