The Soil Remembers Her Hands

  “Every sale is more than a transaction. It’s food on a plate, dignity restored, and a woman taking her rightful place in the economy.” Sibongile Cele is an accountant turned social entrepreneur who founded Abundant Wealth Limited and pioneered rooftop farming in Johannesburg, South Africa. Born in Orlando East, Soweto, Sibongile was shaped by a deep connection to food security as her father who...

  “Every bottle of Libby’s Pride carries not only wine but the enduring imprint of a love story marked by courage, loss, and resilience.” Elizabeth “Libby” Peterson is one of South Africa’s longest-standing Black women entrepreneurs in the wine industry. Born and raised in Cape Town, Libby began her professional life as a bookkeeper and credit controller. In 2009, she launched her brand, Libby’s P...

“They told us Black brands don’t sell. Now supermarkets beg for our tomatoes. That’s how you answer doubters — with produce too good to ignore.” Thobeka Mapukata, a 70-year-old farmer and community leader from Eastern Cape, South Africa is the founder and chairperson of Sinemihlali Primary Cooperative . After spending years as a caterer in the Western Cape, Thobeka returned home when her business...

  “I sold my house to fund my dream. When you start from nothing, you fight with everything you have.”   Sheila Hlanjwa is the pioneering founder of Lathitha Wines, a Black woman-owned wine brand rooted in South Africa. Sheila’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2007 after transitioning from a career in waste management. With no prior experience in winemaking, she studied viticulture at Stellenbosc...

“It’s about restoring our pride, claiming space, and ensuring that the next generation inherits not just land but a future.” Verdra Brown is a farmer, agro-processor, and community leader based in Nyarai, a rural village in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. After a career in higher education, Verdra returned home during the COVID-19 pandemic and revived her family’s smallholding. She founded All Thi...

"Imagine what it would mean for girls to learn that farming isn’t just for old men, but it’s powerful, dignified, and feeds nations."  Bukeka Buqwana is a South African social entrepreneur and agricultural innovator leading rural transformation in the Eastern Cape. She co-founded Zakhe Youth Development, a farming cooperative that creates sustainable livelihoods for women and youth in un...

  “We started with five households. Now, we’re working on five hectares, employing 18 people and feeding over 40 families.” Ayanda Nayo is a South African community leader, mother, and founder of Potsdam Girls (PTY) LTD, an agricultural cooperative based in Potsdam Village, near the coastal city of East London in the Eastern Cape province. Formerly a Supply Chain Manager in the Department of Agric...

“I slept on the floor with only God watching. But the soil knew my name. I wasn’t done.” Vivian Kleynhans is a trailblazing South African entrepreneur, the founder of Seven Sisters Wines and African Roots Wines—among the very few Black woman-owned wine estates in Stellenbosch, South Africa’s premier wine region. Born in the small fishing village of Paternoster in current Western Cape, South Africa...

“I refused to let my grandchildren inherit this curse. When science gave no answers, I turned to the soil.” Lungisa Nonkwelo is a farmer, herbal remedy producer, and community leader from Libode in Nyandeni Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa. After working for over 20 years in the financial sector, she transitioned into farming and agro-processing following a personal battle with breast canc...

“Each woman I train cultivates more than food, she cultivates independence.” Refiloe Molefe, a farmer, agro-processor, and community activist, founded Precious Harvest, a social farming initiative based in Johannesburg, South Africa. A mother of seven and caregiver to many more vulnerable children, Refiloe began her journey by transforming a neglected bowling green in the inner city into a thrivin...

"I realised wine wasn't just a drink — it represented heritage, culture, and business. And it was time we claimed our place at the table." Nondumiso Pikashe, 57, is the founder and CEO of Ses’fikile Wines , a Black woman-owned wine brand based in Cape Town, South Africa. At the dawn of democracy in South Africa she was exposed to the wine industry through a government-supported init...

  “ This is bigger than me. This is about women being seen and respected as builders of wealth and custodians of culture.” Kwanele Nyawo is the co-founder and co-owner of Kunu Fine Wine, a boutique wine brand based in Paarl, Western Cape. At 39 years old, she has already made a meaningful mark in South Africa’s wine landscape. In 2021, she co-founded both Khulu Fine Wine and Mzansi Craft Wine, wit...

  “Every seed I plant is a protest. A protest against hunger, against inequality, against a system that forgot its people.” Tandiswa Hopa, affectionately known as Tandi, is an organic farmer, community activist, and founder of Green Riverbend Programs, based in the rural Eastern Cape, South Africa. With 17 years of experience as a community development specialist, Tandi transitioned into full-time...

“They didn’t make space for us at their table. So, we built our own—and now everyone’s asking for a seat.” Beverly Farmer-Kotze is a trailblazer in South Africa’s wine industry and the CEO of Women in Wine—the first wine production company in the country to be entirely owned, led, and managed by women. Born and raised in Paarl, a town in the heart of South Africa’s wine-producing region, Beverly b...