In 2020, lockdown restrictions forced Omphile Matane to temporarily close her events venue business called, Monakaladi Gardens. This abrupt closure led to loss of revenue and she had to find innovative ways to stay afloat.

“My business was forced to close after I had recently added self-catering accommodation units,” says Omphile. She was unable to operate for months and instead of waiting for lockdown restrictions to be lifted, she used that time to reposition and rebrand her business.

“The inconsistent lockdown level changes were frustrating, and I had to think of a business model that was not going to be affected by lockdown restrictions,” says Omphile. With the help of a COVID19 Relief Loan from SAB Foundation she was able to quickly start working on business models that were not too adversely affected by lockdown restrictions.

She believes that living and operating in a rural area can grow rural economies and create sustainable livelihoods and this is why her business is based in a village. Monakaladi Gardens is on two hectares of land; one hectare is used for events venue and accommodation and in other hectare she installed greenhouses to grow indigenous herbs, exotic vegetable and fruit trees. This new business venture was named Backyard Homestead.

She didn’t stop there; she then created a tea brand called Monakaladi Brews, using indigenous herbs growing in her greenhouse. “I’m based in Mahikeng and we grew up using indigenous plants to make tea blends which have health benefits”, says Omphile. Her business strategy is to move towards agritourism and offer guests an agricultural experience.

“The plan is for guests to be able to walk through our edible gardens and for them to experience farm and rural life,” says Omphile. Deciding to use her land to grow herbs and fruits and to make products from what she is growing was a smart way to continue making money even during lockdown.

On top of this, she also produces and sells “flavoured gemere” popularly known as ginger beer. This business venture was inspired by her community’s love for this non-alcoholic drink. “My customer base was limited because of my location, and I decided to sell my products online, so I can reach a wider customer base,” says Omphile. Ensuring her products have an online presence continues to help her business grow.

“I believe we can create a thriving economy in the villages we grew up in,” says Omphile. Uplifting her community is close to her heart and she was devastated when she had to let some of her staff go when the business was not operating.

Limited infrastructure development and operating on tribal owned land are some of the challenges her business is facing. Entrepreneurship is about constantly overcoming challenges and Omphile always finds innovative ways to keep going.

As an entrepreneur you must keep finding ways to be innovative and solution orientated. “We can’t sit and wait for the pandemic to be over; we must find a way to use what we have to evolve,” says Omphile. The future is uncertain, and the pandemic has made it clear that entrepreneurs need to be adaptable and find ways to gain working capital.

“I’m grateful for the SAB Tholoana Enterprise Programme because the skills training and funding I received from them helped me achieve results quicker,” says Omphile.

She believes entrepreneurs should move out of their comfort zone by rebranding and reinventing their business to tackle challenges caused by the pandemic.

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