In just six years, 33-year-old South Sudanese entrepreneur Joan Odu Joseph Ojok has transformed her honey business from a struggling local venture into a nationally recognized enterprise that exports to international markets, including Dubai. Her journey, marked by early setbacks and strategic support, highlights the potential of African startups to tap into global demand.
Quick Facts
- Secured a $5,000 interest-free loan in 2023
- Exports products to Dubai, Uganda, and Australia
- Expanded team by hiring four students
- Added new products like beeswax lotion
Overcoming Early Hurdles
When Ojok launched her startup in 2019, she was drawn by the promise of South Sudan’s beekeeping sector. However, her initial efforts fell flat, selling only 20 liters of honey and bringing her close to giving up. “The failure was so discouraging,” she recalled.
This experience is common for many young African founders who, despite strong ideas, often lack the capital and business training needed to get off the ground. But Ojok persisted. A year later, the COVID-19 pandemic created a surge in demand for honey-based remedies, offering her a second chance.
AfDB Loan Fuels Production and Growth
The turning point for Ojok’s business, Pure Organic South Sudan Honey, came in 2023. She received a $5,000 interest-free loan from the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund. The funding was part of a larger project implemented by the UNDP to provide finance and business development training to young entrepreneurs.
With the new capital, Ojok invested in essential storage and transport equipment. This allowed her to increase production capacity and hire four students, providing them with both income and entrepreneurial experience.
Cracking Global Markets, Including Dubai
Today, Ojok’s additive-free honey has found customers across the globe.
“We export to Uganda, Kenya, Dubai, and Australia. We also recently received a large order from a client in China,” Ojok stated. “Additionally, we have added new products like beeswax lotion, almonds, cashews, and chia seeds.”
Using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, she has significantly grown her international customer base. Locally, the company also supplies a major supermarket chain in South Sudan. The funding has helped her navigate persistent operational challenges, such as high transportation costs, which can be more than double those in neighboring countries.
Empowering Young Women Beyond Business
Ojok is also committed to community impact, collaborating with the Women Empowerment Initiative and the South Sudan Women’s Union to train young women in entrepreneurship.
“Pure Organic South Sudan Honey supports students by providing them with jobs and training. Most of our trainees are young women,” she explained. Ojok believes this initiative helps reduce school dropout rates and early pregnancies. Her work has earned her an award from the East African Community.
About Pure Organic South Sudan Honey
Founded in 2019 by Joan Odu Joseph Ojok, Pure Organic South Sudan Honey is an agribusiness that produces and sells additive-free honey and other natural products. The company exports internationally to markets in Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, while also focusing on creating employment and training opportunities for young people, particularly women, in South Sudan.
About The Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund
Established in 2017 by the African Development Bank, the fund invests in Africa’s youth, with a special focus on women, to drive economic growth. Through its Youth Enterprise Development & Capacity Building Project in South Sudan, the bank has provided interest-free loans to over 550 youth-led businesses, helping to create nearly 4,000 new jobs.
Source: African Development Bank Group
