Female farmers set a good example
Qalekhaya Co-operative was formed in 2005 by four women and one man. Their first core business was the restoration of old, damaged school furniture before they also moved into agriculture
MEMBERS of Qalekhaya Co-operative of Ezindophi in eShowe believe women can play a significant role in improving the economy and fighting poverty through agricultural activity.
Qalekhaya Co-operative was formed in 2005 by four women and one man. Their first core business was the restoration of old, damaged school furniture before they also moved into agriculture.
Chairperson Phumzile Ntuli said their school furniture business is doing very well as they supply various schools in the King Cetshwayo, Zululand and uThungulu districts.
‘We also sell our agricultural products such as spinach, cabbages and butternuts at the King Cetshwayo fresh produce market, as well as supplying some supermarkets in eShowe,’she said.
‘We encourage every woman to start working and refrain from folding arms and waiting for men to feed them,’ she said.
Qalekhaya has so far won two competitions as the best co-operative in the province and has created 15 permanent job opportunities in the area.
‘We won the ‘Imbokodio iyazenzela’ competition hosted by the KZN government, the ‘Amaqhawe oKhozi’ award hosted by Ukhozi FM and claimed the number two spot in a Zululand FM competition.
‘This proves that we can succeed if we stand together as women. We have opened our hands to help whoever needs our help in starting up a business,‘ she said.
Ntuli added that they have also launched a non-profit organisation which supports needy communities and schoolchildren.
‘It is not too late for other women to start farming because the government creates opportunities and it is easy to get a market to sell agricultural products.
‘We are now planning to take our school furniture business to other provinces and also to sell our agricultural products to overseas countries,’ Ntuli said.
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