BBL PARTICIPANT: LINA NKHABO, MAUBANE, NORTHWEST PROVINCE
In a Nutshell
Through her participation in SocioTech’s Broad-Based Livelihoods (BBL) strategies to stimulate personal economic activity, Lina Nkhabo from Maubane has strengthened her farming practices, expanded her customer reach, and grown in personal confidence. She says…
Through her participation in SocioTech’s Broad-Based Livelihoods (BBL) strategies to stimulate personal economic activity, Lina Nkhabo from Maubane has strengthened her farming practices, expanded her customer reach, and grown in personal confidence. She says…
I was born and grew up in Lesotho. When I was a little girl, my father passed away while he was working on the mines in South Africa. Life was hard but my mother supported me and my siblings through farming and selling. She grew maize, beans, watermelons, wheat, lucerne. She had chickens and milk cows too. She made and sold scones too. She was so busy and hardworking. I helped her with the farming from a young age, and I also looked after my younger siblings. It was a difficult time but as a child you don’t know any other way of life so you just get on with it.
I always liked farming. My mother would sing and praise the Lord while she was working her fields so it felt as if that was an extension of our church life. I still feel that way. God comes to you in the fields. Working the soil and growing vegetables is a good place to think about life and make plans for the future.
I learnt about SocioTech from friends. It was just after COVID, maybe 2022 or 2023. As I have told you, I had been farming since I was a child, but SocioTech showed me that it is never too late to learn new skills. I have learnt so much from SocioTech. I learnt many new farming techniques, but I also learnt business skills and interpersonal skills too. I understand how to sort out family conflict before it escalates.
In terms of new farming knowledge, I now know all about trenching with bones and tins. I have been surprised and delighted by the improvement in my soil that came from that way of working. From good soil comes good crops. Not only are they bigger and more plentiful but the taste has improved too. My customers are always saying that my beetroots are so sweet.
"....it is never too late to learn new skills. I have learnt so much from SocioTech...."
My beans are big and beautiful. My spinach is very juicy and green. I would really like a SocioTech vegetable tunnel - partly because it would make me feel truly like a member of the SocioTech family but also because it would protect my plants from the harsh sun and shelter them from hail in the winter.
Another thing I learnt about was marketing and sales techniques. Many of my customers come to me and buy direct from the garden so that is how it always was but these days I also advertise on Facebook. My grandson takes pictures of the crops for me and puts them up on Facebook. Customers see what I have growing, and they order through Facebook. Once I have an order, I process it and my grandson takes it to the customer’s house for me. We older people complain about modern technology and computers, but sometimes they are a big help. I can reach a much wider audience through Facebook. They can see before they buy. It makes business sense.
Through SocioTech, I have learnt to take charge of my thinking and my destiny. I am the boss of my life. I wake up and think to myself, ‘let’s do this’. I know that many of the challenges I face will be difficult, but I also know that I have a powerful force for self-change within me. Every day my garden teaches me a new lesson. I know that with care, patience, courage, and belief in myself, I can grow plants that will improve my life in so many ways.
BBL MyFood
BBL Mentoring & Monitoring
BBL Veg Tunnel self-build
BBL FruitTree Campaign
BBL MyFuture
BBL MyBusiness
BBL MyPoultry
BBL MyLivestock
BBL BusinessBuilders
BBL FoodEconomy
BBL OurMarket
BBL TalentShow
BBL GardenCompetition
BBL YouthSurvey
BBL SportsTournament
Money management skills: She now approaches her business with clearer planning, applying the financial and organisational skills gained through BBL.
Business diversification: Alongside her traditional crops, she has broadened her offering through improved production methods and new marketing channels.
Improved soil and productivity: Trenching with bones and tins has transformed her soil, leading to larger, healthier, and better-tasting vegetables that attract loyal customers.
Modern marketing reach: With her grandson’s help, she uses Facebook to showcase her produce, secure orders, and access a wider market beyond walk-in customers.
Personal leadership and confidence: She has embraced a renewed mindset of self-belief, taking ownership of her decisions, challenges, and future growth.
