Overcoming setbacks in a determined pursuit of a career in agriculture

Pamella Ncane was born in Port Shepstone and lost both her parents by the time she was 17. She was raised by her aunt in Inanda from the age of four and she would tell her while she was growing up that she could not build a house or leave anything behind for her if she died because she had children of her own but that she is giving her an opportunity to study and be independent so that she can build her own home and achieve her own goals one day. For this reason she said her aunt had been the biggest influence in her life.

While in grade 11 Pamella would visit her cousin who was working at a Sizakala Centre and involved with small-scale livestock farming. It was during this time that she developed a love for agriculture and saw herself one day owning her own livestock farm. As she had not studied science at school she completed a national certificate in primary agriculture after matriculating with the hope of studying towards an agricultural degree at university. She unfortunately was not accepted to do this but unperturbed undertook a national diploma in farm management at the Esayidi TVET College.

Pamella successfully completed the first 18 months of her diploma in mid-2019 and was then faced with the challenge of trying to find an opportunity to obtain the 18 months of work-place experience required to fulfil the requirements of the qualification. During this time she gave birth to her son and only a month before she was invited to be interviewed for a position in our programme he tragically died of a heart condition at only 5.5 months old. When she mentioned during her interview that this had taken place we could not believe her tenacity and determination to keep pursuing her dreams despite so recently having suffered this trauma.

Pamella went on to be placed on a prominent dairy farm near Underberg and completed her 18 months of work experience there. She went on to apply to the Future Farmers Foundation for another internship and found a position as an admin clerk at a call centre in Durban in the interim. In September 2022 she was awarded her National Diploma and a position in the Future Farmers programme shortly thereafter. She hopes to ultimately obtain an internship abroad through the same programme and to one day get that degree she previously aspired towards and then to go on to become a successful female commercial farmer and set an example for other young women.