By Staff Reporter
From navigating financial hardship to building a thriving poultry business, 26-year-old Liketso Khoachele from Matelile, Ha Seeiso in Mafeteng, is proof that a single opportunity, backed by determination, can change the trajectory of a young person’s life.
Her success can be seen with Liketso Agri Business, a manual what searching for dreams and possibilities look like.
Like many Basotho youth, Liketso’s early dreams were interrupted by harsh realities.
After being forced to drop out of tertiary education due to financial challenges, she found herself back home, uncertain about her future.
“I went back to Matelile with no clear path. I was just a young girl trying to figure things out. My education possibility just ended, and so it seemed my life,” she recalls.
In 2019, to take charge of her future and rise above the social challenge, she took up factory work for financial sustainability until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“Just when I was starting to gain momentum, the pandemic struck, and I lost my job. I was broke and back to square one; it felt like my cycle of life was engulfed by pain.”
While at home, Liketso began helping a friend who ran a small poultry project, and it was there that her love for farming was born.
“In 2020, I realised I had found something that sparked my interest, raising chickens. Realising that opportunities can strike when one least expects, I went to my mother and shared my vision.
“To my surprise, she supported me with enough to start. I started Liketso Agri Business with just 100 layers and a winning spirit,” she recounts.
Her choice to go into egg production was deliberate: “Eggs are always in demand, and people buy them daily,” she explains.
However, the road was far from smooth.
“In a rush to grow and ambition to meet the market but also succeed as a farmer, I added another 100 chickens, but the profits were still not coming. Most of the income went to feed.”
Liketso narrates how she saw pain and knew it by name.
“My chickens started dying, eggs were sometimes damaged, and funds were depleted. It started feeling unbearable. It was frustrating,” she says, but the possibilities of success held her back.
“I held on. I had nothing else to fall back on, so I truly had no choice.”
Determined to make her venture work, Liketso reached out for help.
In 2022, a friend advised her to approach the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition to explain her struggles with Liketso Agri Business.
“At the time, I wasn’t very hopeful. I had my doubts about government offices, but I went anyway because this needed to work.”
Officials at the ministry informed her that applications were closed for adult grants under the Small Agriculture Development Programme II (SADP II) but encouraged her to stay alert for the SADP II Youth Grant. “Honestly, I forgot about it. Then one day—almost a year later—I got a call from SADP II. They said the youth grants were open, and I should apply.”
She did just that.
After submitting her application and undergoing a verification process, Liketso was accepted.
“SADP II came to inspect my farm. They took me through training workshops, and when I was awarded the grant, I was ready. I already had some money saved to contribute my percentage.”
In April 2025, Liketso’s dream gained new life.
Through SADP II, Liketso Agri Business received support to build a larger chicken house capable of accommodating 1,500 birds, and she was supplied with 400 chickens along with cages.
“Before this, I only had cages for 200 birds. Now I can manage a much larger operation.
“I have seen a real difference. I can now pay my staff, buy feed, and even save some money,” she beams.
Unlike before, she no longer has to rely on relatives for basic needs.
“I used to have to ask my family for help. Now, the farm is taking care of me and has grown to offer employment to others.”
The SADP II Youth Grant didn’t only offer financial support—it came with practical knowledge.
“We were trained on record keeping, farm management, disease prevention, marketing, and even climate-smart practices. That was valuable for me.”
Her advice to fellow young people is clear: “Farming isn’t easy, but if serious and committed, success is a given,” she says, adding that the SADP II doesn’t give out money to people who aren’t serious.
“You have to show up, prove your commitment, and treat farming like a business.”
Liketso says she now understands the value of being her own boss.
“Jobs are scarce, but farming gives us an opportunity to create employment. I’m currently employing two permanent workers and I have taken on two mentees to help them learn the ropes.”
Liketso Agri Business’ market has grown as well.
“I started supplying local supermarkets, and now I supply the school feeding programme and also sell as a street vendor. I can confidently say that my business has expanded in a way I never imagined.”
As she awaits the third phase of her SADP II grant—set to increase her stock to 1,500 birds—Liketso says she is already planning ahead.
“Even if it doesn’t come immediately, I’m in a position now to grow my business on my own. That is the real impact of this grant.”
What began as a fallback plan during a crisis has now evolved into a sustainable business, one that is not only changing Liketso’s life, but also uplifting her community.
“SADP II didn’t just invest in me, they invested in everyone I help, employ, and mentor. This grant has been my financial breakthrough.”
Through grit, vision, and support, Liketso Khoachele is turning the tides of poverty, one egg at a time.
