“Start with what you have funding will find you on the way”
Speaking to Pondoland Times, Langa Msongelwa from Bizana (Mathwebu location) says he started his farming Business in 2020 during hard lockdown using the profit he made from forex trading. The twenty-six-year old is a student at Walter Sisulu University, studying Information Technology in business analyses. He says he started his business because there is high rate of unemployment in South Africa.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Young people must stop smelling the coffee and start drinking it” said Langa[/perfectpullquote]
He explains that the beginning was not a smooth sail because he had no background knowledge in Agriculture. This caused him not to apply the fertilizer correctly and he had no idea about how climate change affects his crops. Despite the challenges the business has grown and now supplies retail shops such as Boxer and Spar. He also receives great support from the local street venders.
Langa’s business got recognition from one of South Africa’s and world renowned celebrity Chef Siba Mtongana. She posted on her Instagram page and encouraged her followers to watch Langa’s interview that she watched on Kwanda Nyanzeka’s YouTube Channel.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“I always say crisis doesn’t have to kill dreams, there’s always an opportunity within the crisis as it can inspire and innovate ideas that you would have never pursued if things were normal” said Siba Mtongana[/perfectpullquote]
“I employ six to nine people depending on the demand” said Langa, he encourages young people who want start business to start with what they have and put their dreams into action, funding will find them on the way. The young farmer works at the farm during the day and creates time to study at night, Langa says he has a strong belief in positive self-talk. That is where his courage comes from.
[wpdiscuz-feedback id=”zo7widu807″ question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”0″]Langa says the greatest challenge is getting Funding from the department of Agriculture he added that he prefers funding because he is afraid investors might have ideas or plans he doesn’t not agree with. That would cause a huge conflict of interest in his business.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]
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