Doing what others think is impossible came naturally to Mpumi Maesela, who had to deliver a calf when she was still a child. After successfully doing so, she set herself a course on which challenges became her inspiration. Her studies were in business, where she obtained degrees in strategy and leadership. Using this background, she set up SE Holdings, which is all about empowering smallholder farmers. They are supported with infrastructure and access to markets and knowledge that sets them up for sustainable profit and gears them for scale. The farmers contract the local community to support their development, which creates a sense of pride for everyone involved.
Mpumi and her team have developed a 30-point tool that enables funders to enhance their screening processes.
The company is 100% black women-owned, and its young and vibrant team aims to make agriculture “sexy and attractive” to those who may be interested in agriculture. The company is invested in training its staff to stay on par with the latest developments in agricultural technology, and is now on a drive to introduce agriculture programmes in schools.
Mpumi’s Midas touch has seen SE Holdings grow exponentially, increase its staff complement and its revenue and its offtakes, and it is also expanding across Africa.
The name of the organisation at which you work
Servicios Empresaviales Holdings
Your educational background, listing your qualifications and institutions, if any:
- Master’s in Business Strategy and Transformation – Stanford Seed Programme, Stanford Business School (current studies)
- Master’s in Leadership and Strategy, IE Business School, Madrid
- H Dip Tax, University of Witwatersrand
- Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Tax), University of KwaZulu-Natal
Your greatest achievement
SE Holding has increased its offtakes to over R3 billion and increased its revenue by 27%, while the team that works at SE Holdings has recently doubled, All the employees have employee benefits with Sanlam. All the lessons, opportunities, challenges and connections have shaped my worldview to continue changing lives no matter what, and focus on youth and women development without leaving men behind.
