Phikwe Youth Thrives In Eco-Paper Manufacturing
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday September 7, 2021 06:00
Jenamo established Zauwa Holdings back in 2016 and the business is currently located at Selebi-Phikwe industrial site. Speaking to Business Monitor about the ecological profit-making business, the founder and director said their company deals with paper manufacturing. He indicated that they manufacture all sorts of paper bags and paper products and use their distribution arm based in Gaborone trading as NEKES Holdings to reach their customers both nationally and regionally. He stated that they produce branded, plain, greaseproof and pharmacy brown bags.
The business owner added that the idea of paper bags came after the realisation or a dream to help the country go in the same direction as other United Nations members in archival of healthy and biodegradable products.
According to the 28-year-old entrepreneur, Zauwa Holdings has so far supplied its products to the market, with the help of the Selebi Phikwe Economic Unit SPEDU), Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) and Local Enterprise Authority (LEA). Jenamo added that through the same empowerment programmes, they gleaned from the business advisory, training, investor facilitation and financial and technical support for business development. He said through the assistance of the local empowerment organisations, they can tap into local markets and go to neighbouring countries. A Natale native, Jenamo added: “With the known economic meltdown of the business world, Zauwa Holdings has also been directly affected.
But we are working hard together with our financiers and related government institutions to cross the raging seas". Jenamo said due to the world economic meltdown, they have been affected by the prices of raw materials and freight charges have gone up. He shared that they purchase their raw materials mainly from China and India. Zauwa Holdings was funded by CEDA and adopted by LEA and SPEDU for marketing, warehousing and more.
He said currently they have three employees, but they will have to increase staff soon to over 100 employees in order to meet the demand for the products. He encouraged all aspiring entrepreneurs: “If you can dream it, you can make it. Also, dream big and go big.
I believe in my country and its youth.” Jenamo said youth businesses might be collapsing because of poor marketing and low startup capital, but he has confidence it is something that can still be turned around.