Johannesburg – The Collective Shapers programme, powered by Metropolitan in Polokwane, Limpopo has come to an end.
In conjunction with Agri Enterprises, insurer Metropolitan came out strong in November to empower the youth by backing the Collective Shapers initiative. The initiative aimed to develop the city’s farming knowledge and skills and to alleviate youth unemployment.
It consisted of agricultural education, establishing and maintaining a business, and post-course support for when participants leave the classroom to begin working. The first set of Collective Shapers graduated on Saturday after a successful presentation of their agri-business ideas.
“To me, the initiative means collaboration, togetherness, and shaping up the community around me,” said Mampa Peter Mashaphu, one of the Collective Shapers who came up trumps.
“I took part in this programme to learn about farming as a business. I also hoped to receive funding for my project, even though at the start we were not promised anything, but at the end of the programme I was granted a voucher to buy farm equipment.”
Mashaphu, 29, won a R50 000 voucher to fund his business at the presentation’s ceremony on Friday.
“With the grant that I received, I’ll extend my borehole at the farm, buy point of lay chickens and strengthen security at the farm.
“After graduation, I’ll go back to the farm and make sure that I never look at my business the way I did before the programme. All I’ll do is work harder, implement the ideas I had and expand my project,” said Mashaphu.
Mashaphu holds a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Limpopo. He has more than five years of experience in poultry farming and crop production.
“I’m very passionate about farming. It is the most convenient way to make a living, eradicate poverty, create employment, and seek a livelihood. Farming is not only about me, but the change I can be able to bring into someone’s life. One needs to make an impact the best way they know-how, and I do that through farming.”
The initiative began with 10 aspiring participants who seized the opportunity and ran with it.
Tlalane Ntuli, who spearheads the programme, said: “Seven out of 10 participants passed and received a total of 25 NQF credits for the programme from the International Agricultural Academy For Africa.
“Apart from that, these participants ended up becoming a network of business partners through the interaction and collaboration with each other. That spoke to the true spirit of this project and how Metropolitan wanted to inspire the power of the collective within communities.”
According to Ntuli, the programme was a very emotional journey.
“These participants really highlighted the struggle that not only the youth have to find employment, but also the struggle that the emerging farmer has. These are the things we as Metropolitan are very honoured to have been able to support.
“We truly want to show up as our slogan proclaims, “Together We Can”, in every way possible in every community as a brand,” Ntuli said.
The programme aims to expand across the country. Metropolitan CEO Peter Tshiguvho said: “This initiative is close to our hearts here at Metropolitan because it’s not about tossing money at a problem in the hopes that it will fix itself. It’s about giving people the tools to create long-lasting and sustainable opportunities that can then become part of the natural cycle of knowledge and the business landscape in Polokwane and beyond.
“That old saying of ‘give a man a fish and he can eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he can feed himself for a lifetime is true.
“When you equip people with knowledge, you empower them to take charge of their futures and that’s what this Collective Shapers initiative aims to do.”
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