Inga Nande Qeja | Bhayi Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Inga Nande Qeja | Bhayi Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Programme sponsor: Bayer

“The biggest thing I learned was the importance of record keeping”

Based in Tsolo, Eastern Cape and founded in 2015, Bhayi Holdings (Pty) Ltd is an agricultural business that specialises in crop and livestock farming. “We grow crops like spinach and cabbage – food that is consumed in our community,” says owner Inga Qeja. His dream is to eradicate poverty through farming. When he first started the business, he faced challenges with capital and infrastructure. “The municipality wasn’t always helpful and I felt like I had no support,” he says.

In 2020, Inga was selected for a business-development programme sponsored by Bayer. Before the programme, Inga’s business was still in the planning stages. “I hadn’t started growing anything yet. I was still trying to organise fencing,” he explains. While on the Raizcorp-powered programme, Inga received learning and guiding (mentoring). “The biggest thing I learned was the importance of record keeping. I needed structures to be able to track my profit and my growth,” Inga says. “Allon Raiz was very supportive. Bhayi Holdings now had two full-time employees and we supply Boxer, Pick ‘n Pay and Spar,” he says proudly.

His words of advice for other entrepreneurs are, “Believe in yourself. Be persistent and chase your dreams.” In a thank-you message to his sponsor, Inga says, “In such a remote area, in such a small town, people forget we are here. Thank you for coming here and giving me the opportunity to grow my business.”