Queen Kunene’s* restaurant and take-away is situated in Johannesburg’s buzzing central business district and in close proximity of six recording studios.

Food is not just food for Queen. A primary healthcare course on nutrition and malnutrition equipped Queen with an understanding of how to feed customers so they get the best out of her freshly prepared home-style food – and no leftovers are ever served!

Queen is an impressive woman. She cares about her business, her staff and her customers. And sharing information and open discussion on HIV/AIDS is a part of the care and service she provides. BizAIDS has equipped Queen with basic and accurate information about condom usage and HIV transmission, and she willing shares her knowledge with her colleagues and customers. Queen is aware that there is much misconception about the disease and that this create fear amongst people. She has made it one of her missions to dispel myths, reduce stigma, encourage people and as she says, to provide much needed spiritual healing.

Women, she says, are especially uncertain about condom use. Not her, since the training, and she now carries condoms in her purse at all times, both for her own use and for her customers, who have built up a trusty relationship with her and can confidently discuss relationships and sexual practices.

But, the training has also given Queen insight into business management. In addition to expanding her services into catering for the nearby offices and recording studios, she is working on her will and succession plans, her annual plans are in place and the trained staff can cope when she takes her annual leave.

Queen’s commitment to the wellbeing of her family, employees and customers are indeed food for thought for any budding entrepreneur!

* Not her real name