Cape Town - Despite the hard-hitting negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and losing his income, a musician from Gugulethu is on a mission to transform his community into a beekeeping hub.
Forty-three-year-old Vuyo Myoli is hard at work trying to set up his new beekeeping initiative ahead of spring.
The inspired musician is set on growing the beekeeping project into a viable business model and educative programme, after beginning his journey into the agricultural sector last year when the pandemic hit with just a veggie garden.
Myoli said instead of falling victim to depression and despair like many other people who lost their livelihood to the pandemic, he decided to start a veggie garden to not only grow vegetables for his family, but to keep himself grounded.
He said moving from growing veggies to bees wasn’t a big leap, as many people would think, and that it felt natural for him.
He has always been curious about bees and the role their play in the environment since he was very young.
“When opportunities to learn more and grow my initiative came, I happily took them.
“I enrolled in educative programmes and courses to learn about business, agriculture and bees.
“Currently, I am completing a programme with the Financial Literacy and Micro-Enterprise, and have partnered up with the Gugulethu Urban Farming Initiative and the Gugulethu-SeaBoard CAN.”
“This was all to help me build and mould my dream to run a successful beekeeping project.
“There is more to bees than just honey and I want to share that with my community and prove that it is possible to build such an enterprise in the township, because why not, we have bees here.
“Bees can and should be preserved, there are so many organic products that we can make right here eKasi, and also boost our township economy.”
Over the next few weeks, Myoli plans to set up 25 beehives at local community market gardens in Gugulethu with the support of investors.
However, his long-term plan is to move to a farm in Stellenbosch, where he will be able to host various initiatives, from farming bees and running his business that will employ more curious beekeepers.
“Working from a farm, where I will be able to run all my initiatives in one space is the ultimate end goal that I’m working towards.
“This will enable me to do more, expand bring on-board more people, however, I need is support and funds to see this through,” said Myoli.
To reach his goal, Myoli is currently running a fundraising campaign on, ‘quick-ticket’ to help him raise funds for his 25 beehives in time for this pollination season.
For more information on how you can support Vuyo Myoli please visit this link: https://www.quicket.co.za/fundraisers/146910-beekeeper-start-up-business-in-gugulethu/