TFG (The Foschini Group) is backing local entrepreneurship by investing a substantial amount into a groundbreaking digital game.

Since its launch in July 2016, Kreeate, an education technology solutions company, has managed to become a leading example for the development and implementation of edutainment for high schools in South Africa.

TFG, with three of its 27 retail brands – namely The FIX, hi and Sportscene – will fund version two of the Kreeate game, as well as sponsor prizes for the top-performing students on the game’s leaderboard.

The Kreeate game has accomplished what few programmes can: to teach young school learners the skills required to build their own businesses, in a fun and interactive way.

In the game, the player is the ‘shop owner’ and needs to earn as many coins as they can through trading product and answering questions correctly during in-game quizzes. The ‘shop owner’ selects the brand that they want to own, stocked with products ‘sold’ in their store.

”At TFG, we aim to invest in local talent from an early age so that they build the skills required to reach their goals and positively impact South Africa’s future,” says Kathryn Sakalis, head of TFG Marketing & eCommerce.

One of the many examples of school learners benefitting from the game is Marchelon Atson, a Grade 12 learner from Goodwood College who was introduced to the Kreeate game last year.

He said: “I have achieved the highest marks for business studies that I have ever achieved since I started playing the Kreeate game”.

According to his teacher, he had previously received average results for business studies but was now competing as one of the top 10 best performing learners for the subject.

She says: “The game assists Marchelon with basic terminology and new concepts. He takes the quizzes repetitively to try and boost his score on the game’s leaderboard and this has encouraged him to study in advance for tests and informal assessments”.

Says Robin Peterson, South African Proteas cricket player, who endorses the game: “Since July last year, Kreeate has enrolled 248 active users from 46 different schools. This year, with TFG’s investment into Kreeate, the programme is on track to upskill more than 75 000 learners across 150 schools in South Africa.”

Through their partnership, Kreeate and TFG are committed to educating the next generation of South Africa’s leaders.

For more information, visit www.kreeate.biz