In 2019, June Owdo Joseph Ojukwu launched her honey start-up in South Sudan, drawn by the promise of the lucrative apiculture sector. But despite her enthusiasm, her early efforts fell flat: she sold only 20 litres of honey and came close to giving up.
"The failure was depressing," she said. June had poured her heart into the business, but the market wasn't ready. She was selling in a country where honey production was still in its infancy, and buyers were scarce. She questioned whether she had made a terrible mistake.
Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Suddenly, demand for honey-based remedies surged. People were looking for natural ways to boost their immunity, and June's honey was exactly what they needed. At the same time, support from the African Development Bank helped her business gain traction.
The Turning Point
In 2023, she secured a USD 5,000 interest-free loan through the Bank's Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Trust Fund. With the new funds, she invested in storage and transportation equipment, increasing her production capacity and enabling her to hire four student employees.
Today, her additive-free honey reaches customers worldwide. "We are exporting to Uganda, Kenya, Dubai, and Australia. We also recently secured a bulk-order customer in China," said Ojukwu. She has also added new products like beeswax lotion, almonds, cashew nuts, and chia seeds.
Domestically, she supplies honey to a major supermarket chain in South Sudan. She also works with the Women Empowerment Initiative and the South Sudan Women's Union to train young women and equip them with entrepreneurial skills.
"Failure is not the end. It's the beginning of something greater."
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