Hope Agri

05/06/2026

04/06/2026

Mzamomhle youth, this one's for you.

Join the launch of the Urban Youth Enterprise Development Incubation Program and discover how agriculture can become your career, your business enterprise, and your pathway to income. #

17/04/2026

IT'S ANOTHER SHOUT-OUT!
This one crept up on us unexpectedly. Siya's bicycle (that wonderful, lifechanging gift shared about in an earlier post) needed some help. It's been working overtime and needed new tires and a thorough once over.
Thank you to the wonderful people at Bike Yard for doing an amazing job, at short notice, and with a kindly sharpened pencil. The farmer's steed awaits him!
Thank you Inspiration Awards for positioning us to be able to approach folks like these for help.

11/04/2026

Siya taking a bow at the Inspiration Awards yesterday. What a great pic!

10/04/2026

And that's it then - the 2026 Inspiration Awards done and dusted!
Congratulations to the other finalists (and especially Dr. Ranjana Gigi and iThemba Home). There's a great deal of good work being done in this city!
Thank you to the founders, organisers and supporters all. It's a giant shout-out to the Inspiration Awards themselves from all of us at Hope Agri. We appreciate you!

An event acknowledging inspirational achievements by NGOs and individuals throughout the city of East London, South Africa. The Inspiration Awards was birthe...

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

There are still a few tickets available. Purchase online at https://www.quicket.co.za/events/358577-inspiration-awards-2026/?ie=h80eyGGChbfvl3KWCdfPUA%3D%3D #/

Meet Gavin Cox from Hope Agri, chosen by guests at the Border-Kei Chamber of Business NPO Development Programme graduation.
Hope Agri gives unemployed young men the chance to build their own 300 m² micro farms, growing high value crops and learning to run a real business. Graduation is not a certificate. It is a working, income earning farm and a young man who knows he can stand on his own feet.

To hear Gavin’s story and show your support for Hope Agri, join us at the Inspiration Awards breakfast on 10 April.

Tickets and tables: www.inspirationawards.co.za

09/04/2026

Today's shout-out is more of a cheer-on and the glimpse in the rear view mirror more a peering through the windshield as we take in the future. As of the beginning of March 2026, Dr. Scott Worley of Land of the Living has appointed Chris and Mbali Maritz as project leaders for Hope Agri.
Chris has over a decade of experience across diverse farming systems, both locally and internationally. Mbali holds qualifications in both business and farming, and serves as the chairperson of the Border Kei Chamber of Business Agriculture & Agroprocessing
Committee. Together this power couple are the founders of Emerge Farming & Consultancy, which is the vehicle through which they will lead and oversee Hope Agri.
This is all very big deal of course, because having suitably qualified and able leadership at the helm of any venture is arguably the most strategic investment that can be made into its long term success. Welcome on board Chris and Mbali. We're cheering you on, and can't wait to see how impactful this project will be with you at the helm.
Thank you Inspiration Awards for helping us tell our story!
Thank you Border-Kei Chamber of Business for the nomination!

08/04/2026

A LOOK IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR ...
Today's shout-out is to Dr. Scott Worley and his team at Land of the Living. When Hope Agri was still in the womb (conceived and proving concept, but not yet exiting the birth canal as it is now), Scott befriended the project as an advisor, and then opened his heart when the conversation turned to matters administrative. Rather than form our own NPO or PBO with all that would entail, Land of the Living welcomed Hope Agri into its fold, and while the adoptive instrument was a simple MOU, it's been clear from the start that Scott has embraced this addition to the Land of the Living family as one of his own.
Thank you Scott and team for giving Hope Agri a home. We appreciate it enormously. Giving the project up for adoption was a huge decision for the birth-parents, but we're delighted at where things are at, and are convinced that this was indeed the very best decision for the newborn venture. A big thank you too to Rino Nepgen for believing in us and for helping us do it right by assisting with all the legaleze.
Important side-note: Land of the Living does not have some secret stash of cash from which to fund Hope Agri. The project will need to stand on it's own feet financially, and while the micro-farms themselves are self-funding over time (this is HUGE!), the project needs a significant kick-start to get its infrastructure up and running. Any and all help in this regard will be greatly appreciated!
Scott did us the honour of presiding over Siya's formal graduation at Taking Care of Business East London (see the pic), thereby closing the proof-of-concept chapter. Tomorrow's post will show you what the project's on-the-ground leadership and management will look like moving forward, and it looks good.
Long live Hope Agri, long live!
Thank you Inspiration Awards for helping us tell our story!
Thank you Border-Kei Chamber of Business for the nomination!

07/04/2026

Today's shout-out is a look into the future.
Increased markets for Hope Agri's offtake will arguably be the single most critical factor moving forward. After all, if we don't have markets we won't have businesses.
To that end, a huge shout-out goes to Sean Raleigh of the Ralex Group, who has offered to partner with us into his stores. In order to qualify for this wonderful opportunity, we'll be needing the help of Chantelle Loftie-Eaton of Entecom in meeting the necessary food safety compliance criteria. This is all really big deal and a little down the road from where we are as a project right now, but we've been warmly welcomed into discussion by both Sean and Chantelle, and look forward to moving into active working relationships with both as Hope Agri's productive future blooms into fruition.
Thank you Inspiration Awards for helping us tell our story!
Thank you Border-Kei Chamber of Business for the nomination!