Social entrepreneurship, chocolate style

I recently read about Nontwenhle Mchunu and knew I wanted to blog about this amazing woman. Winner of the South African Businesswomen’s Association 2008 Regional Business Achiever Awards in the Social Entrepreneur category, she is looking to create transformation through chocolate. Her dream of transforming Africa’s position in the chocolate world goes hand in hand with changing lives as well. Through building a successful chocolate company, Mchunu is also looking to create jobs in the townships of South Africa (where unemployment can run 40%), expand vocational education to youth, as well as use only ingredients from Africa that have been sustainably produced.

Chocolate confection has long been the domain of Europe. Most people associate chocolate with countries like Switzerland and Belgium. What few realize is that the majority of the world’s cocoa beans are grown in Africa. However, Africa is not known for prestigious chocolate confections. Mchunu is looking to change this by creating Africa’s first premium brand, Ezulwini Chocolat, and for African chocolate to have it’s place alongside other world class brands.  

What an inspiration to future entrepreneurs.  Mchunu hopes her dream can be an inspiration for others to achieve their dreams.  I look forward to hearing more about Mchunu and Ezulwini Chocolat in the future.