About The Founder: Nonhlanhla Joye
Nonhlanhla Joye, affectionately known as Ma’ Joye, is a visionary social entrepreneur whose journey exemplifies resilience, innovation, and community empowerment. The founder of Umgibe Farming Organics and Training Institute, her story began in 2014 when she was diagnosed with cancer and could no longer work to provide for her family. Faced with the harsh realities of poverty and hunger, Ma’ Joye turned to her backyard to grow organic vegetables, determined to find a solution.
However, her efforts were initially thwarted when chickens devoured her crops. Refusing to be defeated, she devised an innovative growing system using repurposed plastic bags to protect her vegetables. This system not only safeguarded her crops from chickens but also conserved water, enabling her to feed her family and sell surplus produce to neighbours.
Her innovation quickly expanded beyond her backyard. Ma’ Joye began teaching others in her community how to grow nutritious vegetables using her system. What started as a personal struggle blossomed into a movement that has transformed the lives of hundreds of families. Today, Umgibe is more than a farming system—it’s a platform for underserved communities to achieve food security, generate income, and create a sustainable future.
Umgibe’s name, meaning “rope of hope,” reflects its mission to uplift unemployed and disadvantaged communities by empowering them to grow their own food and collectively market surplus produce.
Awards & Accolades
Nonhlanhla Joye’s groundbreaking work and dedication to community empowerment have earned her numerous prestigious national and international awards:
2024 ASEB Entrepreneur Education Champion of the Year
2023 ASEB Startup Ecosystem Builder of the Year
2023 ASEB Entrepreneur Support Organization of the Year
2020 Pan African Awards Continental Winner – Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business & Government (Agricultural Sector)
2017 SAB Foundation Social Innovation Development Award Winner
2017 Women In Africa Award (Morocco)
2017 SAG-SEED Award Winner – Frugal, Waterwise Growing System
2017 Top Entrepreneur Processing Sector Award – Agriculture & Rural Development, KZN Province
2017 Hivos Most Impactful Business Award on Food Security (Zimbabwe)
2017 Eco-Community and Eco-Angel Gold Awards (Pretoria, South Africa)
2017 IMPACT2 Global Female Entrepreneur of the Year (Paris, France)
2017 Marie Claire Future Shaper Award (South Africa)
2017 ELLE Magazine IMPACT2 Award Winner (South Africa)
2016 Durban Business Fair Rural and Township Based Business Award
2016 KZN DARD Female Entrepreneur 1st Runner-Up (Provincial Level)
Published Works
Ma’ Joye has also contributed to advancing knowledge through her published paper:
- “Project Education-based Applied Technologies for Poverty Alleviation, Ending Hunger, Achieving Food Security, and Promoting Sustainable Agriculture” (Canada).
Her accolades highlight her transformative role in the agricultural sector and her commitment to addressing poverty, hunger, and food security while driving sustainable development.