A young entrepreneur’s tenacity in her agricultural venture continues to bear fruit.
Masello Mokhoro (22) has been chosen as one of the 26 Anzisha Prize fellows to receive training over three years.
This fellowship, awarded to entrepreneurs aged 15 to 22, will give youngsters an opportunity to learn critical business skills and receive venture-building support services.
Mokhoro’s entry was selected out of hundreds across Africa.
“When I first applied, I was not fully aware of the significance of the Anzisha Prize and the benefits that come with being part of the programme,” she says.
“I heard stories of people who had applied more than three times before getting selected, so I was surprised when I was selected after my first attempt.”
Launched in 2010, the Anzisha programme aims to support the development of young entrepreneurs and empower them to become job creators who can build up themselves, their families and their communities.
“This fellowship has motivated me to keep pushing boundaries. It will help take my business to heights greater than I had imagined and help to unleash my full potential as business owner. It will also help me to create jobs and sustainable opportunities for others.”
Mokhoro’s passion for farming is her driving force.
She holds both a National and Advanced Diploma in Agricultural Management from the Central University of Technology, Free State.
While she has been mentoring first-year students in Agricultural Management since 2019, she also serves as chairperson of the Agricultural Student Organisation and offers part-time practical lectures in Soil and Pasture Science for first-year students.
Mokhoro’s business, Starlicious Enterprises, rears broiler chickens and pigs for meat production.
Despite her achievements, she has had to confront the many issues of inequality affecting women in agriculture.
While women account for 50% of the agricultural labour force in East and Southern African countries, according to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, their ownership of agricultural land for business purposes adds up to only 15%.
Women not only suffer the repercussions of persistent inequality, but also face challenges regarding access to resources.
In an effort to create a better life for herself and her family, Mokhoro acquired a spirit of entrepreneurship at a young age.
She helped generate an income by selling soap with her grandmother and sweets and snacks at her primary school.
Growing up as an only child to a single mother who worked as a seasonal farmworker in Bultfontein, she had to take on responsibilities much earlier than most children.
