South Africa: Beads and Chicken: From Survival to Thriving Business

Story 

“It’s for old people who are bored.” 

That was Thabelo Mphephu’s first thought about beading a skill her grandmother taught her while growing up in Thengwe Village, Limpopo. At the time, she dismissed it as a pastime for older women. But life had other plans. 

Thabelo, a 30-year-old single mother of two beautiful girls, holds a degree in Human Resource Management. Like many young South Africans, she faced the harsh reality of unemployment despite her qualifications. With no job and mounting responsibilities, she needed a way to survive. 

Her turning point came unexpectedly. One day, she wore a beaded bracelet she had made to a wedding. Compliments poured in, and people asked where she had bought it. Some even wanted to buy it from her. That moment sparked an idea: maybe beading wasn’t just a hobby it could be a business. 

Thabelo began researching designs online and asking friends for feedback. She created more bracelets, and they sold instantly. Orders started coming in, and soon she was making a profit. Encouraged by the demand, she expanded her product range and marketed her work on Facebook. The response was overwhelming. Brides and bridesmaids ordered traditional accessories for weddings, and business boomed. 

As orders grew, Thabelo hired two assistants to keep up with demand. Her small venture was thriving until COVID-19 hit. Lockdowns halted weddings, parties, and social gatherings, and her beading business came to a standstill. 

Faced with uncertainty, Thabelo refused to give up. She saw a gap in poultry farming during the lockdown when food shortages became a reality. Using her savings, she bought chicks and feed and started selling chickens and eggs. The poultry business took off, and she hired two more assistants to manage operations. 

By 2021, as restrictions eased, beading orders returned in full force. Thabelo rehired her previous staff and resumed production. Today, her business Thab’s Beads and Chicken is thriving in both sectors. She even completed an online short course in sewing and decoration in 2020, adding event décor services to her portfolio. “I can now safely say that I am a real businesswoman,” Thabelo says proudly. “We are working every day, and as the business grows, we are looking to hire more people.” 

Her story is a powerful example of resilience and innovation. From dismissing beading as “for old people” to building a multi-stream enterprise, Thabelo has turned challenges into opportunities. 

She embodies the spirit of Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) empowering women to lead, adapt, and thrive in the face of adversity. Thabelo’s journey shows that entrepreneurship is not just about profit it’s about courage, creativity, and the determination to create a better life for oneself and others. 

By Thabelo Mphephu, Limpopo