“It's never too late.” This musician turned to beekeeping to heal his depression
There’s a buzz around musician Vuyo Myoli’s latest project – and it has nothing to do with music. “My love for farming led to an unconventional switch from recording music to urban farming,” he says. Myoli has founded BeezMove, his beekeeping business that doubles as a platform to draw people to agriculture. “Farming knows no age,” he says. “It's never too late to explore other careers.” For Myoli, this decision isn’t just a spontaneous change of tune, but a necessary pivot for his mental health.
Myoli learnt about agriculture while in high school, but little did he know these lessons would shape his future in a time of uncertainty. Working in the entertainment industry, the performance artist battled emotionally as a result of the instability of seasonal shows and travel demands. “Us as artists, we are stubborn when we get depression,” Myoli says. “We think it's something that we know but we don't know, especially when it's happening for the first time.” In search of an outlet, Myoli returned to the comfort he once felt in nature as a teenager. “Farming became a form of therapy and a source of income,” he says.
Farmer by day, artist by night, Myoli has never looked back. Earning his certification in beekeeping from Honeywood Farm, today Myoli manages two beehives in his community. As the insects pollinate plants, they encourage crop production and contribute to food security within the area. But unaware of their benefits, many people in Gugulethu view bees as enemies and have sought to destroy Myoli’s hives. Through his work, the beekeeper is slowly shifting perspectives. While Myoli sells honey to support himself, he’s positively impacting the environment and the people who live here.
To further engage young people, Myoli leads workshops in junior and senior schools. “Some people still believe that farming is only for old people and for rural spaces,” Myoli says. “I'm showing the youth in my township that urban farming is a viable career.” With plans to expand his hives and education programmes, Myoli is demonstrating the power of rediscovering your passion and purpose. “Farming revived my life and I believe it can empower more people,” he says.
