By Anita Dangazele
- Retrenched after more than 15 years at Goodyear, a mother turned her severance pay into a small livestock business selling sheep and goats.
- She hopes to grow her farm while supporting her three children, proving that retrenchment can be the start of something new.
When Goodyear shut its doors in August, a 43-year-old woman from Gqeberha feared her life had collapsed.
She had worked there for more than 15 years. On her last day, all she could think was: At my age, who is going to hire me?
She is still paying her bond. Her eldest child is in university, while the two younger ones are in primary school. The pressure was crushing.
But instead of giving up, she decided to build her own future.
“I thought about becoming a loan shark because it’s quick money, but I didn’t want to be a target for criminals,” she said.
Then she saw a Facebook post where someone was looking to buy sheep. That was her lightbulb moment.
With her severance pay, she bought a few sheep and goats. As the festive season nears, when many families need livestock for ceremonies, she is ready to sell.
“I want my children to see that even when life knocks you down, you can stand up again,” she told Scrolla.Africa.
Her fear now is that criminals may see her as someone with money. But her focus is on building her farm, providing for her family, and proving that retrenchment does not have to mean defeat.
Pictured above: Sheep on a farm.
Image source: Pexels
