Humble businessman helping uplift rural youth, communities

Ndoda Ntlikiti is not your ordinary businessman. He is determined to plough back to his community, focusing on education and rural development.

It is the belief of the Centane-born former human rights activist and freedom fighter that the government cannot succeed in addressing the economic challenges faced by the country without help from the public.

He is dedicated to improving education and sport in the province’s rural areas, and has invested more than R1m in education programmes, donating to schools and giving incentives to teachers and pupils at the best-performing schools in the Amathole East district, since 2022.

Ntlikiti, better known by his clan name Jola, is the owner and director of Bakhulule Financial Services and Bakhulule Funeral Scheme.

Prince Abongile Ngozi nominated Ntlikiti for the Daily Dispatch’s Local Heroes Awards.

“Jola is a giver, a community builder, and a philanthropist who respects traditional leadership and is passionate about rural development and education development.

“He deals with many schools, churches, traditional leaders and needy individuals, mostly in the Gcaleka region.

“Despite all he is doing to improve people’s lives, he remains humble and respectful.

“We wish we had many Ntlikitis in our country to help develop our communities,” Ngozi said.

In 2022, Bakhulule Funeral Scheme gave R780,000 to the education department’s Amathole East district for an awards ceremony.

Ntlikiti has also donated to schools and churches as far afield as Qonce and the Western Cape.

“We must roll up our sleeves and assist in ensuring quality education, especially in rural areas where resources are scarce,” he said.

“Children walk long distances to school, crossing dangerous rivers and forests.

“Teachers sacrifice family time to attend morning, weekend, evening and holiday schooling.

“Both teachers and learners should be rewarded for their sacrifices in ensuring we become an educated nation.”

He said despite their dire shortages of resources and facilities, rural schools were a beacon of hope.

“Education is my passion. I wish I could transfer that love to our youth to ensure no deserving child misses out on tertiary education because they are poor. We cannot waste talent,” Ntlikiti said.

He grew up herding livestock in the hills and valleys of Gobe village in Centane.

“In rural areas, there are no computer labs or access to the internet to find information on bursaries and other financial aid.

“That is why we have deserving youths with excellent matric results not going on to studies but joining the stream of unemployed, idle, discouraged and disillusioned youth.”

Ntlikiti also works with traditional leaders and their communities in Willowvale and Centane.

Through the King Zwelonke Development Legacy Programmes he has donated TV sets to Thafalofefe Hospital in Centane, as well as funds to church building projects.

The businessman also hosted a rural sports development tournament aimed at encouraging youth to live healthy lifestyles and stay away from drug and alcohol abuse, and crime.

He also assisted in working towards peace at Caftweni village in Willowvale.

Caftweni has been referred to as one of the province’s “villages of death” after 22 people were shot dead there between January 2021 and March 2022.

Ntlikiti helped Caftweni traditional leader Nkosi Ndabele Mtoto in his fight against crime in the area and and involved stakeholders such as tertiary institutions and investors to help in distributing food in needy areas.

“We pride ourselves on working with traditional leadership.

“Our work is not about promoting the individual but developing institutions and the community,” Ntlikiti said.

The humble businessman does not see himself as a hero.

“I am doing the little I can for the community that raised me and made me the man I am today.”

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