Township Trades and Baobab company scoop 2009 PhytoTrade Africa Natural Product Awards

The winner of the 2009 PhytoTrade Africa Natural Product Award is Township Trades whose dynamic Cape Town based team that have carefully blended Africa’s rich botanical heritage into the Nurture range of natural soaps. A social enterprise based in Khayelitsha township in Cape Town, Township Trades aim is to help young adults affected by HIV, and provide young people with the business skills to become independent through trade. The award, now in its fourth year, is offered to a person, product or business in Southern Africa that has demonstrated commitment to developing ethical and environmentally sustainable products with natural ingredients. Township Trades wins a cash prize of R20,000 and an all-expenses-paid booth at the 2010 Natural & Organic Products Exhibition. Lucian Russ, Director of Township Trades said "The PhytoTrade award means everything for the whole Township Trades team, as it represents peer recognition and reminds us that we are not alone. There is a whole community working together for the same goals. We will use the prize money to bolster our ability to develop and deliver to more commercial opportunities".

Also announced was the winner of the PhytoTrade Africa Best in Show Award, for the best product exhibited at the 2009 Natural & Organic Products Exhibition in Cape Town. The winner was Sarah Venter of Eco Products who received a cash prize of R15,000 and an all-expenses-paid booth at next year’s Expo, sponsored by the organisers.  Venter said that the award “has meant an enormous amount to us. Working with rural communities is very different from the business world, where decisions are based on profitability.  Our success is not based on how much money we make, but on how well we have managed to balance the needs of people, the environment and our financial margins.   The award really recognizes our success at bringing baobab to the market in this environment and we are so grateful for the support”.