Digicall SA and Absa Insurance join forces on R100m Basadi programme to empower black women business owners

Basadi woman's breakfast 2023 - ABSA Insurance Company, Digicall Group and Basadi members

Women in South Africa are making progress as entrepreneurs, indicating a strong will and determination to survive. Entrepreneurship is vital for the success of the South African economy, driving growth and diversification and creating wealth, but black small business owners face many challenges, and for women the obstacles are even greater.

To provide vital support and accelerate the growth of black women-owned businesses in the country, business process outsourcing provider Digicall SA has partnered with short-term insurer Absa Insurance Company (AIC) to help drive AIC’s Basadi Supplier Programme. The programme (Basadi means ‘woman’ in Sotho and Tswana) uplifts historically disadvantaged black women and provides them with the business and skills they need to prosper.

Digicall provides outsourced, claims administration and incident management services to AIC’s client base for all types of non-motor incidents and claims. Together, the two companies will allocate R100 million worth of work over the next three years to the Basadi beneficiaries.

“Through AIC, we provide coaching to black female entrepreneurs on Absa’s approved service-provider database,” says Keneiloe Moabelo, Head Of Claims Procurement at AIC. “Coaching includes developing business plans for growth and funding and standard business processes, pay-as-you-earn tax, UIF registrations and financial planning and reporting.”

“We have to be deliberate in enabling women operating in unconventional spaces, especially in a country like ours, that’s why AIC and Digicall SA are committed to actively pursuing black female-led service providers,” says Musa F. Sambo, Director and Chief Commercial Officer at Digicall. “There is a critical need for practical solutions, and the Basadi programme is exactly that. Providing more opportunities for education, mentorship and support across the entrepreneurial ecosystem can have profound effects on the success of these ventures, and the growth of SMEs.”

Of the businesses on the AIC claims panel, such as plumbers and electricians, more than 140 are owned by black women. A number of projects and initiatives are in place to empower these business owners, including training and skills development, financial aid, allocation of work, and mentorship. A formal selection process ensures that the most suitable candidates are selected.