Five young people from a rural Eastern Cape town are breeding success after putting their social relief of distress (SRD) grant to good use.
The cousins from Nobumba Village in Peddie used their monthly R350 SRD grant to start Bayeni Poultry co-operative, which sells broiler chickens to surrounding villages and Makhanda.
Bayeni chair Phumlisa Ngabase, 26, said when the cousins lost their jobs because of Covid-19 they had to find a way to put food on the table in the long term. “Our vision was to get up and do something for ourselves,” Ngabase said.
Determined to change their fortunes, the cousins built a chicken house using self-made mud bricks.
The Ngabase cousins Phumlisa, Lukhanyo, Zukile, Asiphe and Sesona also received assistance from the Eastern Cape department of rural development and agrarian reform, which donated 10 bags of feed and 150 day-old chicks, a plucker machine and water tanks.
Apart from the donations, the department also trained the cousins.
“Officials gave us information packs about the different stages of growing chickens and the types of feed to use at each stage,” Ngabase said.
Members of the co-operative also received information about registering a co-operative and applying for assistance from the department.
“We are constantly in touch with our extension officer for advice. The assistance we have received from the department has minimised our challenges and we are starting to see profits.”
Ngabase says that they chose the agriculture sector because it offers endless opportunities for young people.
Eastern Cape MEC for rural development and agrarian reform Nonkqubela Pieters says the Bayeni Poultry co-operative has done commendable work. “They have changed R350 monthly grants into an investment.”
Pieters said the department recently donated 400 chicks and 15 bags of feed, 2,400 vegetable seedlings, 10 wheelbarrows, 20 bags of pig feed, garden tools and a plucker machine to 17 other youth projects in Peddie.
Emerging farmers wanting to receive similar assistance should contact the department’s extension services at (043) 602-5006/7 or visit www.drdar.gov.za
Cousins breed success with their broiler chickens
Co-operative members turn grants into investment
Five young people from a rural Eastern Cape town are breeding success after putting their social relief of distress (SRD) grant to good use.
The cousins from Nobumba Village in Peddie used their monthly R350 SRD grant to start Bayeni Poultry co-operative, which sells broiler chickens to surrounding villages and Makhanda.
Bayeni chair Phumlisa Ngabase, 26, said when the cousins lost their jobs because of Covid-19 they had to find a way to put food on the table in the long term. “Our vision was to get up and do something for ourselves,” Ngabase said.
Determined to change their fortunes, the cousins built a chicken house using self-made mud bricks.
The Ngabase cousins Phumlisa, Lukhanyo, Zukile, Asiphe and Sesona also received assistance from the Eastern Cape department of rural development and agrarian reform, which donated 10 bags of feed and 150 day-old chicks, a plucker machine and water tanks.
Apart from the donations, the department also trained the cousins.
“Officials gave us information packs about the different stages of growing chickens and the types of feed to use at each stage,” Ngabase said.
Members of the co-operative also received information about registering a co-operative and applying for assistance from the department.
“We are constantly in touch with our extension officer for advice. The assistance we have received from the department has minimised our challenges and we are starting to see profits.”
Ngabase says that they chose the agriculture sector because it offers endless opportunities for young people.
Eastern Cape MEC for rural development and agrarian reform Nonkqubela Pieters says the Bayeni Poultry co-operative has done commendable work. “They have changed R350 monthly grants into an investment.”
Pieters said the department recently donated 400 chicks and 15 bags of feed, 2,400 vegetable seedlings, 10 wheelbarrows, 20 bags of pig feed, garden tools and a plucker machine to 17 other youth projects in Peddie.
Emerging farmers wanting to receive similar assistance should contact the department’s extension services at (043) 602-5006/7 or visit www.drdar.gov.za