Wa Rona Food Enterprise

Ms CEO🍯🍯🍯

Happy Youth Day to you too, Game Changer.

Today, we celebrate a young woman who refused to let humble beginnings define the size of her dreams. Bokang Lehloenya is a dynamic entrepreneur from Welkom whose journey reminds us that greatness often starts with the simplest of ideas and the courage to pursue them.

In 2021, armed with determination and a vision for a better future, Bokang used her National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) savings to begin selling motoho as a street vendor. What started as a modest hustle soon evolved into something extraordinary.

She formally registered Wa Rona Food Enterprise and transformed a beloved traditional sorghum-based porridge drink into an award-winning commercial beverage brand.

Today, Motoho Wa Rona, affectionately known as Motoho Wa Sebele, is stocked in mainstream supermarkets across the Free State, proving that products rooted in our heritage can compete on major retail shelves.

Her products can be found at Waltloo, Roots, Mini Market, and several other retailers throughout the Free State Province.

Through her growing enterprise, Bokang has also created a notable number of jobs, contributing meaningfully to the local economy and empowering many families.

Like many entrepreneurs, Bokang faced challenges along the way. When demand from local supermarkets exceeded her capacity to produce and deliver 500 bottles a day, she did not give up. Instead, she sought support and continued to push forward.

Through assistance received from the Free State Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA), she secured funding that enabled her to acquire a delivery bakkie, purchase stock, and complete SABS certification processes, allowing her business to grow to new heights.

Her resilience, innovation, and contribution to the local economy have not gone unnoticed.

Bokang Lehloenya has been recognised as the Start-Up Business of the Year at the National Presidential SMME Awards. She was named Best Agro-Processor and Overall Winner at the Women Entrepreneurship and Youth in Agriculture Awards and was further honoured as one of the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans in the Entrepreneurship category.

Her story is a powerful reminder that our traditions hold value, that young people can build thriving enterprises from limited resources, and that persistence can turn an idea into a legacy.

May this Youth Day be a reminder of the courage and determination shown by the young people who helped shape South Africa’s history.

It is also an opportunity to recognise and celebrate young leaders like Bokang Lehloenya, who are creating jobs, preserving culture, inspiring communities, and building a more innovative, inclusive, and hopeful future for generations to come.

Thank you, Bokang, for showing us that dreams are valid, hard work pays off, and that no beginning is too small when purpose leads the way. Your journey continues to inspire young people to believe in themselves, embrace their heritage, and pursue excellence despite the odds.

Wishing you a meaningful Youth Day filled with reflection, gratitude, celebration, and continued success.