From Flour to Fortitude: Enhancing South Africa's Outlook | Alicia Polak | TEDxUStreetWomen

Alicia D. Polak shares her personal journey from facing unemployment to becoming a social entrepreneur in South Africa. Drawing from her experiences in Investment Banking and Project Management and her observations of societal disparities across the globe, she decided to contribute to society in a meaningful way. She founded The Khayelitsha Cookie Company and The Khaya Cookie Company, social enterprises aimed at providing employment and essential skills to underprivileged women in South Africa. By focusing on baking, a highly replicable and transferable skill, Alicia has been able to create sustainable income for these women and their families. The talk highlights the importance of starting small, being resilient, and understanding local context when tackling societal issues. Concluding with a success story of an employee achieving her dream of owning a home, this talk inspires individuals to create social enterprises and make a positive impact on society. In 2003, Alicia founded The Khaya Cookie Company (US) & the Khayelitsha Cookie Co (South Africa) both with innovative business models with a social objective. A former investment banker turned social entrepreneur; the Bronx born entrepreneur created a forward-thinking business model that allowed her to fulfill a personal commitment to better the lives of the residents in her adopted home of South Africa. These jobs provide sustainable opportunities and job skills training for the women and men of the local community. Alicia grew her company and sold it back to local South Africans in the true spirit of empowerment. Alicia and her work have been featured in CNN Headline News “Small & Global” and in publications such as The Financial Times, Glamour (South Africa), O, the Oprah Magazine (South Africa), and Business 2.0. She received the Food Network Award for Edible Entrepreneur recognized for her “passionate pursuit of bright ideas.” This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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