Making a difference in the community … one bite at a time. Ever tried to order something for lunch or dinner only to realise that there is no delivery company that delivers food in your area? Leon Qwabe, a former learner at Grantleigh, a Curro Select school, knew this feeling only too well and saw it as a great opportunity for a new business venture, and so he started Order Kasi – a food delivery service for township communities. Today he is a successful entrepreneur and says that he would not have been able to start this business had it not been for his time spent at Grantleigh.

Leon has very fond memories of his days at Grantleigh. ‘I came to the school in Grade 7 and received such a warm welcome from my fellow classmates. It was a new experience for me. I moved schools a lot due to my dad's work.’ After starting at Grantleigh Leon never had to change schools again. His dad was very pleased with his positive feedback and saw how his son flourished. ‘We had great school tours and extramural activities. I got to experience several things I otherwise would never have. This school really shaped my thinking and my view on life,’ says Leon.

After his school career Leon attended the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). He currently lives in Cape Town, where he saw a gap in the market and started his successful business. ‘I stay in Nyanga, and I would crave dishes from venues around the townships, but it would be a mission to get to them – especially without a car. When I started looking into it, I found that such a service did not exist at all.’ And so, in 2016, Order Kasi was born. Order Kasi is the first meal delivery service that exclusively offers food from restaurants based in the township. ‘It is basically an Uber Eats for the township market and overlooked communities,’ says Leon. The mission behind Order Kasi is to deliver delicious food with a strong focus on empowering both the township restaurants and its economy.

When asked who inspires him, Leon does not give ‘obvious’ answers, no, he names his Afrikaans teacher. ‘I never used to enjoy the subject and had a negative approach to it. She picked up on that and used a different approach to get through to me. I felt free to be vocal and her kind-heartedness made me not want to disappoint her, and I applied myself. I truly would not have been able to start Order Kasi if it not for the way I was groomed at Grantleigh. The school allowed me to see problems worth solving and approach challenges in a tactical way.’

Since the start of the business, Order Kasi has expanded its reach from Khayelitsha to Langa, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Mitchells Plain, Kuils River, Mfuleni and Paarl. Leon’s dreams for his future reach far beyond Cape Town. ‘We plan to expand Order Kasi nationally and uplift all township communities to be self-sustaining. As an entrepreneur, I believe it's small business owners who will give hope and help the economy for the times to come.’

Do you want to order some delicious township food or learn more about the business? Visit their website at www.order-kasi.co.za/ or download the app. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Leon and Order Kasi.

Source: https://www.capetownmagazine.com/