Business
22
Madame Clucks Alot
Website
Ntobeko Thokozisile Mafu is the managing director of Madame Clucks Alot, a company she started from scratch. It is a sustainable poultry and crop farm that specialises in agricultural skills training and development to enhance people’s livelihoods.
The 22-year-old is responsible for the daily work, developing and implementing organisational goals and values, and thinking of ways to create revenue streams that are mutually beneficial for the company and the customer. At the age of 19 Ntobeko wrote a self-help book titled Letters to Whoever Needs to Hear This, about growing up in an abusive home, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse and finding a way to rise above it all by finding your purpose in life. “Pain shaped me but I’m the most joyful person I know,” she says.
“I’m driven by circumstance, ambition and empathy.” She has completed an advanced diploma in human resources management from Durban University of Technology, and training in broiler production and is a community of practice member in entrepreneurship development. Ntobeko’s mother told her that in this life to survive she must “aspire to inspire before I expire”; she has followed this advice ever since.
Not only is Ntobeko feeding the community she’s from, she’s also recruited folks and given them jobs. She is an inspiration to the people around her, young and old. Ntobeko would like to see a self-sufficient food secure South Africa. She wants to teach people about the importance of food security and to give them the skills required to achieve this. And she wants to help end the social ills linked to being food insecure such as gender-based violence and broken families.
- Diploma in human resources management obtained 2021 Durban University of Technology (DUT)
- Advanced diploma in human resources management 2022; Aspiring Entrepreneur, Pan African Women Empowerment Network
- KZN Women in Agriculture, DUT Innobiz X’s US consulate general
- Broiler production KZN Poultry Institute
- Community of Practice member National Entrepreneurship Development (EDHE) DUT Representative 2022
- Second place 2020 Durban University of Technology writing competition
- The first place I Am a Woman pitch and polish competition hosted by Durban Youth Radio and Enactus DUT
- Second place pitch competition hosted by eThekwini municipality 2022
- National Youth Development Agency Start Your Business training
- National YoungStar entrepreneur competition second runner-up out of 791 participants
- Hustlemania pitch competition winner 2023
My mother got married while I was young, which led me to be raised by my father. On the last day we spent together before she moved to the farmers’ market she told me a slogan that I live by. She said in this life to survive I have to “aspire to inspire before I expire” and I’ve kept those words with me since.
I’d tell her to believe in herself more, to not look for love and comfort in other people, so much so that she compromises herself. I’d tell her her brain is actually worth millions and she won’t know it till she steps into her being, to accept everything with an open heart even though it doesn’t make sense why all the things happening to her are happening. It’s all part of the metamorphosis.
I’d like to see a self-sufficient food secure South Africa. My business, Madame Clucks Alot, is a sustainable poultry and crop farm that specialises in agricultural skills training and development to ensure the enhancement of the livelihoods of people. I’d like to turn around and see crops being planted at corporate institutions, to help companies retain talent by providing food-secure working environments, households and schools. I want to teach the skill and importance of food security everywhere. I want to have a massive impact to end the social ills linked to being food insecure such as gender-based violence, broken families, theft, murder and so forth.