Bulembu Country Lodge wins 1st place in competition
In March 2008 Vernon entered the Bulembu Country
Lodge into a competition sponsored by TechnoServe and USAID. The competition is
called Believe- Begin- Become which is a Business Plan Competition developed to
support and grow new businesses. It is an incentivized, practical training and
business development program to help entrepreneurs turn their business ideas
into fundable and implementable business plans. Read more....
Participants had to enter with a 3 page
executive summary about their business from which 60 applicants were selected,
which Bulembu was one of them. A further 30 were chosen to go to the
annual Tourism Indaba in Durban, South Africa. In the months to follow
participants underwent rigorous; compulsory training, from weekly visits with
their mentors to numerous trips to Mbabane, Swaziland's capital, for classes.
Vernon, gained much from various experts in the field and a business plan was
required to be submitted by the beginning of August for judging. The award
ceremony took place at the Royal Swazi Villas on 26 September 2008. Bulembu
Country Lodge was announced as the first place winner of the Attraction
Category and recipient of nearly USD $10,000. The money will be used for
further development of the Country Lodge.
