Noxolo Portia Ngwenya, driven by a desire to preserve her family's agricultural heritage and address local unemployment, is building a thriving poultry enterprise in Limpopo. The founder of Ngwananku Poultry Projects reinvests initial earnings, utilizing her yard space, demonstrating that sustainable agribusiness starts with ingenuity rather than massive capital.
Ngwenya's inclination towards farming developed early in life while growing up in Phashaskraal Village, Atok. Raised by her parents, Tselanyane Tinny and Joseph Senkatile Makau, she observed their daily efforts to raise livestock and grow crops to sustain the household.
Ngwenya shares that her greatest inspiration comes from her parents: 'My greatest inspiration is my parents. They grew crops and raised poultry to support our family, and they taught me that farming is not just about producing food; it is about creating opportunities and changing lives. Growing up here, I saw how they worked tirelessly despite many hardships. Their resilience, discipline, and love for agriculture inspired me to continue their business.'
Transitioning from School Ambitions to Real Life
Before starting her venture, Ngwenya attended Ramoko Primary School and later graduated from Moseki Secondary School in 2017. Initially, she planned a career in education and enrolled at Pentagon College, where she earned a national diploma in educational activities. Her original goal was to open an English preschool to serve her village.
To earn funds, Ngwenya worked for three contract periods as a teacher's assistant at Tlou Phuti Secondary School. She later moved into the corporate sector as a TymeBank ambassador but had to leave that position after a leg injury.
She notes: 'Even while studying, I always dreamed of being a farmer... I wanted to be someone who creates employment opportunities for others. Although I was grateful for every opportunity I received, deep down I always knew that farming was my true passion. Working as a teacher's assistant and then an ambassador gave me valuable life experience and helped me earn income. Instead of spending my salary on luxuries, I invested it in building my first poultry house and purchasing equipment.'
Laying the Foundation
In early 2022, Ngwenya launched her endeavor using her family's yard in Phashaskraal Village. Noticing a local shortage of fresh poultry, which forced residents to travel long distances or wait for external supplies, she identified a clear market gap.
She acquired an initial batch of 100 broiler chicks, gradually purchasing feed and basic materials as her budget allowed. Ngwenya emphasizes: 'I built my first poultry house in the backyard without any external funding or sponsorship. Every brick, every bag of cement, and every piece of equipment was bought little by little as I could afford it. I didn't wait for everything to be perfect; I believed that starting small is better than not starting at all.'
Thanks to her disciplined strategy, in 2023, she reached a significant operational milestone by officially registering her business as Ngwananku Poultry Projects, laying the groundwork for commercial partnerships and access to the formal market.
Scaling Production and Mastering the Trade
In 2025, Ngwenya enrolled at the University of South Africa (Unisa) to obtain a degree in security management, where she is currently in her second year. Balancing studies with farm management requires strict self-discipline, and academic work often continues late into the night.
She directly applies coursework on occupational health and risk management to improve daily farm protocols. Daily farm operations have significantly expanded: she now supplies both live and professionally processed poultry to a diverse client base, including local schools, street vendors, catering firms, restaurants, and neighboring households.
'My biggest achievement is growing my business from producing 100 broilers to producing 200 broilers every three weeks. Seeing my business continue to grow despite limited resources reminds me that consistency and perseverance truly pay off.'
To enhance product quality, Ngwenya underwent specialized training at a poultry factory, ensuring that all slaughtered poultry meets strict hygiene and processing standards. Her enterprise currently employs one full-time staff member and two temporary workers.
Overcoming Obstacles for Long-Term Impact
However, operating from a residential premises creates certain logistical challenges. Since her incubation complex is separate from the main living quarters, Ngwenya and her team must manually move three-week-old birds using large plastic containers when transportation is unavailable.
She explains: 'This process is physically demanding, time-consuming, and increases stress for the birds. Despite these difficulties, we continue to operate with the available resources, maintaining high standards of animal care and hygiene.'
Her long-term plan includes acquiring larger agricultural land, establishing a specialized processing facility, and increasing production volume to 1000 broilers per three-week cycle. She also aims to create official mentorship programs for young people in Limpopo.
'Ultimately, I want my business to contribute significantly to food security, rural economic development, and community empowerment,' she says.
The advice she gives to young people considering entering agriculture is simple: 'Don't wait until you have enough money, perfect equipment, or the perfect farm. These things can come over time. Success in farming is achieved through hard work, consistency, patience, and a willingness to learn every day.'
The White House is expected to extend the waiver of the Jones Act in the coming days, using it as a tool to stabilize gasoline prices. This decision comes against the backdrop of the consequences of the war between the US and Israel against Iran, according to information received by Reuters from sources.
The Jones Act, which has been in effect for a century, requires that cargo be transported between US ports on ships built and owned by the US, and operated by American workers. The purpose of this waiver is to increase flexibility in shipping and eliminate bottlenecks in transportation, which should help reduce fuel costs.
The current waiver of the Jones Act rules expires on August 16. This is already the longest suspension of the Jones Act rules since its adoption, and it has been used nearly 200 times since the start of the war with Iran.
This step is being taken as Trump runs out of simple ways to lower oil prices in the US, which currently average $4 per gallon, ahead of the midterm elections in November. Furthermore, this follows comments made by Trump on Monday, in which he stated that oil companies such as Exxon Mobil and Chevron are receiving 'too much money' from the price increases caused by the war with Iran.
Rachael Matloga, a mother of three who enjoys listening to music and watching nature documentaries, has achieved significant career growth in the retail sector. After nine years of questioning her career path, she became the branch manager at Petshop Science N1 City in Cape Town.
Matloga's career began in 2017 when she joined Shoprite Group as a checkout packer. Prior to this, she completed the company's retail readiness program, which provides skills to unemployed youth in South Africa.
Originally from the village of Ga-Maponto in Limpopo, Matloga was studying logistics when she learned about the program during a conversation on a train. She applied, underwent training, and was appointed as a checkout packer at Checkers N1 City in 2017.
Shortly after starting, she began to doubt her decision due to the physically demanding nature of the work. However, her mother's support convinced her to continue. Her mother advised her: 'You need to start somewhere to end up somewhere,' which, according to Matloga, changed the course of her career.
Over the years, she utilized every opportunity to develop her skills, taking on extra responsibilities and learning from colleagues as she advanced within the company. Lindsey Joseph, Head of Talent Solutions for the Shoprite Group, noted that Matloga's journey demonstrates the company's commitment to developing internal talent.
Joseph stated: 'We believe in creating opportunities for our employees to build a meaningful career within the business. Through continuous learning, development, and internal promotion where possible, employees like Rachael reach management positions.'
Now leading a team at Petshop Science N1 City, Matloga believes that effective leadership involves both developing people and achieving results. She cited mentoring a team member who took on a management role as one of her greatest achievements.
Outside of work, the mother of three enjoys listening to music and watching nature documentaries. Matloga's plan is to manage a larger store while continuing to build high-performing teams that serve customers and support their communities.
Concluding her journey, Matloga urged others not to underestimate the potential of a retail career. She emphasized: 'You don't have to have everything planned out at the beginning. Retail is a place where you can build a long-term career, and your start is never the end. Every role teaches you something, and if you are ready to learn and keep showing up, you never know where it will take you.'
If unstable internet connection has become a recurring problem in daily life, it may be necessary to replace the current router. Three suggestions for Wi-Fi routers currently on sale on Amazon have been gathered. These models offer technologies such as mesh, Wi-Fi 6, and greater range, aiming to provide a stable signal in all residential environments.
The TWIBI FORCE AX model, developed by Intelbras, is indicated for users who require complete coverage, eliminating dead zones. Thanks to its mesh technology and support for the AX standard (Wi-Fi 6), it ensures faster and more consistent connections, even in large houses or when multiple devices are connected simultaneously. It is a suitable option for those who want superior performance without installation difficulties.
Another popular mesh solution on the market is the TP-Link Deco M4 kit. This kit stands out for its ease of configuration, management done directly through an application, and coverage expansion as the number of units increases. With Gigabit connection and dual 5GHz band, it guarantees constant speed throughout the residence, preventing known weak signal spots in bedrooms or floors farther from the modem.
Huawei presented the AX2S, a Wi-Fi 6 router with a differentiated feature: network diagnosis through a heat map. This map allows you to see exactly where the signal intensity is lowest in the area. Furthermore, it features support for HarmonyOS Mesh+, four internal amplifiers, and a compact black design, combining functionality and practicality for those seeking total control over their home network.
It is important to note that prices and stock availability may change at any time, so it is advisable to check each product immediately before the offers end. Readers are encouraged to click on the indicated buttons to secure their equipment on Amazon.
