Exploring the circumstances and experiences of youth immigrants when establishing and running a successful informal micro-business
In the era of rampant youth unemployment, governments are rethinking strategies to respond to this global crisis. At the centre of these strategies is the promotion of youth-owned informal micro-businesses. While literature acknowledges the challenges faced by youth in running their informal micro-businesses, there is much less in the way of information that explores immigrant informal businesses. This is a qualitative study aimed at exploring the circumstances and experiences of youth immigrants when establishing and running a successful informal microbusiness. This study was conducted amongst youth owners of informal micro-businesses and four service providers in Cape Town. Twenty in-depth interviews were done with these participants. The four service providers represented a non-governmental organisation (NGO), a government department, a commercial bank and a government funding agency. The study indicated that the reasons why immigrant youth start their informal micro-businesses varied. For the unemployed it was a solution to unemployment, some of those who were working did so because they wanted to earn more, while others desired a flexible work environment. In addition, the study showed that there are many challenges faced by immigrant youth during the establishment and growth phases of their businesses.
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