from NKHENSANI NKUNA in Tzaneen
TZANEEN – BY starting a thriving flower nursery, Shiluva Chauke is not only living up to her name, she is also spreading love to her community.
Shiluva means flower in the local Xitsonga language.
Chauke, who hails from the Nkowankowa township outside Tzaneen in the northernmost Limpopo province, South Africa, operates Heavenly Florals Nursery, which specialises in growing cut flowers. It caters for bouquets and gifts and deals in ornamental flowers.
She sells mainly to community members and funeral parlours, among other clients.
The journey has, however, not been easy for the 28-year-old horticulturist.
After graduating from the Tshwane University of Technology, she looked for a job without any success.
This is an all too familiar story in South Africa, which is battling a severe crisis of youth unemployment.
Chauke decided to start her own business by planting flowers in the backyard of her home.
“In the beginning it was not easy to sell to people, because I stay in a township, where people are really not fond of flowers,” she said.
“They deem it as a waste of money,” Chauke said of the initial challenges.
“However, they are slowly appreciating the importance and the beauty which flowers can bring to people,” Chauke said.
Three years later, her nursery proudly employs three people.
Chauke is also a decorator at various events.
“In a few years I’m dreaming of owning a big farm that would empower a lot of women through employment,” Chauke said of her ambition.
“In the coming years I want to trade with bigger retailers. My long term goal is to grow all kinds of flowers,” she said.
Chauke believes homegrown flowers would ensure a long shelf life.
Eventually, she wants to give back to the community in which Heavenly Florals Nursery exists.
“I want my business to feed and educate the less privileged people from my community. Lastly, I just want my community to learn how to spread love through a petal,” Chauke concluded.
The growing of non-indeginous cut-flowers is mostly centred in the northern provinces of South Africa, whereas the production of proteas and other indeginous cut-flowers is predominently in the Western Cape.
– CAJ News
