Metropolitan Collective Shapers programme Empowering Youth to Rebuild South Africa’s Entrepreneurial Landscape
In a period where youth entrepreneurship in the country continues to lag, small-scale farmer Siphindile Hlengwa, founder of Ndlovukazi Agricultural Multipurpose, has demonstrated that structured business support can shift agricultural enterprises from just surviving to becoming sustainable, even award-winning.
South Africa’s Total Entrepreneurial Activity rate among young people aged 25 to 34 currently sits at around 9.2%, according to Global Entrepreneurship Research. Within agriculture, barriers such as access to funding, production planning, skills development and market access remain persistent obstacles for emerging farmers.
Hlengwa’s Kwa-Zulu Natal based business specializes in the cultivation of diverse, high-quality grains and vegetables to meet local demand and contribute to regional food security. Their methods integrate both organic and inorganic practices to ensure sustainability and yield, supplying local markets and contributing to food security in the region. But like other small-scale farmers, the business initially faced challenges relating to formal systems, financial management and consistent production planning.
This changed when Hlengwa joined financial services company Metropolitan’s Collective Shapers (MCS) programme, a youth empowerment initiative designed to equip emerging entrepreneurs with specialised knowledge and practical technical skills across key industries.
The programme combines meaningful funding with technical coaching, market access, business skills training, leadership development, national exposure, and real commercial opportunities; and enables small businesses not only to survive but to become sustainable.
Since launching as a regional programme in Polokwane in 2021, and later expanding to Tshwane and KwaZulu-Natal, the demand and proven success of MCS have paved the way for a national rollout in 2025.
Through the programme Hlengwa’s business has strengthened its operational systems, production forecasting and financial discipline, moving it into a fundable and growth-ready position. Hlengwa shared that this improved readiness has helped the business unlock access to external funding and additional agricultural training.
The enterprise is also developing an on-site nursery to produce strong, reliable seedlings, reducing costs and ensuring consistent quality across operations; further strengthening the business’s growth capacity.
Turning Knowledge Into Action
“The MCS program has been instrumental in translating knowledge into tangible results. The insights gained allowed us to immediately streamline our administrative operating and production planning, which directly resulted in successfully securing the recent round of funding” says Hlengwa.
Recognition and Credibility
This momentum increased further when Ndlovukazi Agriculture Multipurpose was honoured with the Best eThekwini Farmer Award (2025), an achievement Hlengwa attributes to the growth framework, accountability structures, and confidence instilled through the MCS programme.
Beyond skills development, Metropolitan’s partnership has elevated the farm’s professional image. During recent site visits, government officials specifically noted the Metropolitan signage on the property, recognising it as a symbol of credibility, structure, and readiness. “Our affiliation with Metropolitan has opened doors, built trust, and positioned us as a serious player in the agricultural sector,” Hlengwa explained.
Entrepreneurs like Hlengwa cannot succeed on hustle and inspiration alone; their progress depends on an ecosystem of trust, capital and support. At Metropolitan, that ecosystem begins quietly with the policyholder who keeps a policy in place month after month, often without ever considering how far its impact might travel.
That support has translated into something tangible: Hlengwa’s business is now hosting and training in-service university students, drawing young people into agriculture and broadening what is possible for the next generation.
In this way, each contribution becomes part of a living exchange. A policyholder helps build an entrepreneur; an entrepreneur, in turn, opens doors for others. This is how legacies are rewritten; not in a single leap, but through a steady cycle of shared investment and shared progress.
Building Financially Resilient Communities
Metropolitan supports farmers and their workers through practical financial education that promotes better planning, risk management, and informed decision-making. The organisation also encourages farmers to take out funeral cover and savings plans for their employees, ensuring that their teams and families are protected with dignity and financial security.
With the guidance of skilled financial advisers, these responsible choices do more than safeguard households; they strengthen the fabric of entire communities. This commitment to empowering people on the farm and beyond is what drives Metropolitan’s mission to build financially confident, resilient South Africans.
Together we can.
