GEORGE NEWS - Women, men and youngsters excitedly showed off their business skills course certificates and 'hotboxes' (padded, insulated fabric bags in which pre-boiled pots can be placed to slow-cook food without further use of electricity) at Parkdene Community Hall last week.

They had completed a hotbox training course offered by Sustainable Energy Africa, a Johannesburg-based non-governmental organisation, with the assistance of George Municipality's electrotechnical department. 

They concurrently did a course in business skills presented by Green Business College, a Cape Town-based tertiary institution that focuses on green business products.

A total of 28 people from all over the 27 wards in George were trained over three days. 

The business course included marketing, finance, administration and sales training.

The participants with their certificates and hotboxes.

The participants are now skilled to start their own hotbox businesses.

Hotboxes save electricity, which has financial and environmental benefits, and contribute to indoor air quality and safety in houses where cooking is done on an open fire or paraffin stove.

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