Selinah Ntjana, a goat farmer from Musina in Limpopo, turned her goat farming passion into a thriving business by diversifying. From raising goats to crafting high-quality skincare products, Ntjana unpacks how she transformed her farming expertise into a beauty empire.
Ntjana started breeding boer goats for meat but she soon delved into goat milk production after becoming aware of its potential benefits.
“I did a lot of research because from goat farming you learn that there is milk for goats and then you want to do research on the [benefits] of their milk,” she says.
Ntjana adds that the idea of creating skincare products emerged from her personal experience with eczema and her research into the advantages of goat milk. She highlights the health benefits of goat milk, including its mineral content and lactic acid, which aid in exfoliating and nourishing the skin.
Sourcing goat milk for skincare
Ntjana explains that her skincare products are made on demand and the production process includes several stages.
She says the formulation phase is where research and development are done to create products like anti-ageing lotions and moisturisers. In the mixing phase, goat milk is combined with oils, kinds of butter, and waxes. She also shares details about the emulsification phase.
To ensure the quality of her goat milk, Ntjana sources it from a reliable supplier with certified hygiene standards. “We outsource our milk from a reliable supplier that supplies us with goat milk when we’re going to use milk for production,” she says.
“As women, we must learn to hold each other’s hand and also network and get more information. Do research in whatever business you want to do. That’s what works for me. As a woman, you must get out of the comfort zone,” she advises.
In this episode, she also discusses:
- Where her products are available; and
- Future aspirations.
Dive deeper into the episode and gain insights from the award-winning Farmer’s Inside Track, officially recognised as Africa and the world’s best podcast at the 2024 Digital Media Awards presented by WAN-IFRA, the global press organisation.
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