South African woman uses digital technologies to reach new markets with her poultry business

Ms. Kholosa Qwemesha initially faced challenges in her poultry business, Amazothso Poultry & Agriculture. She lacked adequate financing for business operations, hindering growth. The lack of employees also posed a significant challenge for the maintenance and development of her business. Furthermore, lacking marketing and opportunities for exposure, her business was relatively unknown.

In September 2022, she attended a GYB training in Nqamakwe village, and an SYB training in Butterworth in October of that year. That same year she formally registered her business, having been operating for three years prior.

“I learnt so much about business and I was challenged by my ILO SYB Trainers to think out of the box and believe in myself. As a previously employed person I was scared, and the training gave me hope and confidence."

Kholosa Qwemesha

Thanks to the training, she learned marketing strategy, calculated risk-taking, and networking-building.

“When I got home, I knew I had to implement what I learnt and that entrepreneurs take risks. In the past I would buy stock, then my chickens would die because the coup was leaking. I took my last bit of money and repaired the coup. Now I can sleep peacefully at night because the next time I get my stock they will not be dying. I put my fear aside and started using technology and doing research on Google on my phone. I registered my business on Google – a great moment – sharing its details there. I also learnt from Google how to do the egg fertilization. A few days later a lady called me and said she got my details from my Google advertisement and ordered 15 chickens at once."

Kholosa Qwemesha

Kholosa hired her previously unemployed neighbor to clean the chicken houses. She managed to secure 3 new markets during the training, supplying a butcher, a car wash that has a chesanyama, and another entrepreneur who sells live chickens after she has raised them. She said the SIYB training opened her a whole new world. It was combined with a mentoring session where she could open a bank account and speak to SARS about taxes.

“My world is getting bigger. My business is on Google, WhatsApp and Facebook and I am on a mentoring WhatsApp group with my fellow entrepreneurs I did the ILO SYB with."

Kholosa Qwemesha