Changing perception of cannabis

Marijuana Academy: On Mission To Educate Aspiring Entrepreneurs

- Masoka Dube

Trenton Birch is on a mission to educate South Africans on how to run a successful professional cannabis and hemp business.

Birch, is chief executive and cofounder of Cheeba Africa, a nongovernmental organisation that owns Cheeba Cannabis and Hemp Academy, an educational centre specialising in teaching aspiring cannabis and hemp entrepreneurs how to run successful businesses.

The academy comprises two campuses, one in Rivonia, Joburg, and the other in Cape Town.

Birch and his team are also offering lessons to government officials who are willing to understand the cannabis industry.

Birch spoke about his mission of improving the cannabis sector into a force to be reckoned with.

"When starting the NGO, it was difficult because we did not have the resources as we used to work from my garage."

"It was me, Linda Saboto and Bianca Kaiser, who are my business partners," he said.

"Nobody knew much about the cannabis business. We struggled to find people who could teach, but we finally managed to access them."

"After working in the music industry for 10 years, I decided to do something new."

"I realised that the cannabis industry was growing, then I grabbed the opportunity."

"Before starting, I went to Los Angeles and Spain to investigate and learn how the industry was in those territories."