A harvest of opportunity

Set against the backdrop of Limpopo's stark unemployment figures, Francina Mampho Muhlanga’s journey is a testament to the transformative potential of government-backed initiatives like the Social Employment Fund (SEF).

As part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, the SEF aims to create temporary employment opportunities for young people by partnering with community organisations and NGOs. Part of its work is focused on job creation in the agricultural sector and on enhancing horticultural businesses.

Francina, who grew up surrounded by agricultural activity in the small town of Phagameng in Modimolle, took a keen interest in the SEF programme. As a young mother facing financial instability, she was driven by a pressing need to provide for her family, earn a living and acquire valuable skills.

In July 2022, as an SEF participant, she embraced the chance to become a Nutrition Ambassador with the Seriti Institute, a development facilitation agency focused on job creation in crucial areas such as food security and nutrition.

Seriti’s workshops and practical activities enabled her to learn invaluable skills in nutrition and gardening, and she wasted no time in putting those skills to use. Francina soon embarked on establishing a homestead garden, cultivating vegetables like cabbages, spinach and beetroot seedlings.

The regular harvests didn’t just bolster the family’s income and food security. With newfound confidence and purpose, Francina also took the initiative to further her studies by enrolling in a SETA-accredited marketing course. Her goal is to continue her marketing education and secure employment within the agricultural sector in her community.

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