Tshithuthuni village in Nzhelele is a mountainous and rocky area, but a gogo with a passion for farming saw an opportunity to farm there.

Gogo Eunice Tshitangano (55) started farming vegetables for her family 23 years ago. She said her vegetables were of such high quality that even her neighbours were buying from her.

What started as only a passion became a way of making extra cash for her. Today, the woman is a living example that the country has many opportunities and that what is needed is to make use of them.

She is also challenging the youth, who are always complaining about a lack of jobs, that they could create jobs for themselves and not wait for the government to employ them. “Farming is not an easy job, but with determination and dedication, one can make it and be self-sufficient. It was very hard at first as I had to till the lands using my bare hands in this rocky area. I had to fetch water from the nearby river to water the whole garden,” she said.

She produces spinach, onions, beetroot, green peppers, and pumpkins.

“The demand for vegetables, especially during the festive season, becomes very high and the plot I had, had become very small. I went to the traditional leader and asked for more land, which was granted. Not long ago, I planted maize here. The yield was very impressive and I was able to produce nine 80 kg bags of mealie meal.”

For Tshitangano, farming has not only helped her financially but also keeps her healthy. “Farming is an exercise. I never get sick easily, and my blood pressure is always normal as I am always up doing something on the farm,” she said.