Young Maphumulo poultry farmer Thulamakwande Ndlovu exemplifies the power of self-created opportunities.

The 21-year-old entrepreneur has taken his business from an after-school side hustle to an established enterprise that employs four staff. He has grown his business from selling live broiler chickens to include eggs and ready-to-cook chickens.

Ndlovu started his business while doing Grade 10 in 2018, and juggling school demands and the daily running of his fledgling poultry business at that time proved difficult.

Often referred to as the “chicken guy” by his then peers, Ndlovu says his business mindset was inspired by his family of business people.

“I love farming but didn’t want to grow crops as that is dependent on many risky factors, so I chose poultry farming instead.”

His biggest challenge came in 2019 when the promising business venture grappled with a disease that affected 150 chickens, severely setting him back.

His resolve was further tested in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. As an entrepreneur in a rural area, buying chickens proved difficult as travelling was restricted.

“I was not making enough sales during that time and was running low on chicken feedstock. I had to sell my chickens to generate an income,” he said.

Recognising his determination, the Maphumulo municipality’s agricultural department stepped in to assist with formal training and monitoring of his business, which was officially registered as Zizuzele Poultry Production in 2021.

“The challenges did discourage me, but I refused to give up and that’s why I knocked on the municipality’s door for assistance,” said Ndlovu.

His business also received funding from the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) in 2022, a significant milestone in his entrepreneurial journey as he expanded his business by establishing two additional workstations in Mashayinyoni where he bred broiler and egg-laying chickens. This allowed him to employ four rural women.

“When I started I had no idea my business would grow to this extent,” he said.

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