When Nokubonga Cherryl Ndima (Class of 2012) was growing up in Durban, South Africa, she dreamed of being a surgeon. But while working with her family in their vegetable garden of carrots, cabbages, and spinach, she began to make a connection: she saw how people often went to the doctor and had health problems because they did not live healthy lifestyles or have access to nutritious food. She realized she could improve people’s health by working in agriculture. In 2009, when she first arrived at EARTH, she began a journey that would take her where she is today, helping young people find gainful employment in agriculture, a sector that is in need of skilled and dedicated leaders.
Now living in Cape Town, Nokubonga is in her sixth year serving as Western Cape Office Manager for the Future Farmers Foundation, an almost 20-year organization that is helping youth who are passionate about farming gain practical experience in their field of interest on commercial farms, paired with mentoring and soft skills training.
Nokubonga explains how the organization got started: “Our founder was a dairy farmer herself, and while showing cattle at shows she would talk with students who had a passion for farming. When she asked them what they were doing next, they said they couldn’t obtain scholarships or find good employment. She felt that with the right structures in place or apprenticeships on farms would allow these youth to step up onto the ladder of work experience which could transform their lives, setting them up for success.”
Nokubonga first came to know the organization after she graduated, while she was working at a farm employing hydroponic systems. “I was introduced to hydroponics at EARTH, and after I graduated I was able to apply these skills at the tomato farm. Later I assisted with a vertical farming project in the townships Khayelitsha and Mafikeng through the organization Orchard Africa.”
With her degree in Agricultural Sciences from EARTH and a passion to help her community, Nokubonga is well-placed in her job to understand what is required for these young people to be successful. A big part of her work is supporting their mentorship program in which all apprentices are teamed up with a mentor who serves as their key contact for the duration of their program. “We assist apprentices at their work placements, in improving themselves and understanding how to work their way in and up the industry. We connect them with our Agri-Partners, who host them on their farms or in their businesses. Some alumni now have their own farms and consulting companies, and most of the mentors are Future Farmers Alumni. The organization has had a big impact. We work mainly with motivated youth from disadvantaged communities and set them up for success.”
Nokubonga is dedicated to seeing young people thrive, and while she understands there are many barriers to this, she is working to help overcome them. Her work is contributing to one of EARTH University’s main objectives of developing leaders in the agricultural sector. “South Africa has a mix of challenges. We have high unemployment for youth. In addition, many of the next generation of farming families are not interested in continuing their legacy. We need more young people to bridge that gap. The vast knowledge and experience of the farmers is not being passed on to the newer generations of South Africa. My passion for the work I’m doing is seeing those young people climb the ladder and thrive within the agricultural space. This is making a difference in so many ways.”
Nokubonga reflected on her time at EARTH and what it means to her now: “I have always been community-driven, so when we worked in the community my heart was full. I remember the sense I had at EARTH of going beyond just having a career, that the focus was on changing people’s lives. I learned about the impact one person can have and how we could learn a wide variety of specialties but focus on those we were passionate about. EARTH told us, ‘Here is the canvas, paint your own dream.’”
We commend Nokubonga on her continued effort to make her community a better place, to help provide employment for the next generation, and to work for a food secure future for her country.