Entrepreneur finds Niche in leather Computer bags
Correspondent | Monday November 18, 2013 17:05
Thirty-four-year-old Miles Mairos Muzawazi based at the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) incubator said he started making the computer leather bags November last year. Muzawazi said the increasing number of students who attend tertiary institutions in Francistown prompted him to make the bags. 'A lot of these students have laptops. They told me that the bags that they are given after buying laptops are not durable hence I decided to make leather bags, which last longer.
'The bags are bought in large numbers because students have the choice of deciding the form and style they want the bags to be manufactured. The bags' prices range from P1,000 to P3,000,' said Muzawazi.
He said: 'The prices of the bags vary according to the type of the leather used. I use the skins of crocodiles, hippopotamus, zebras and kudus to make the bags.
'I source the crocodile skins from a local company based in Maun called Krocovango Company that breeds crocodiles as well as from Zimbabwe. We were issued with a Trophy Dealers' Licence by the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism,' said Muzawazi. He said he markets his business by attending trade shows.
'In the past I attended the Small, Micro, Macro and Enterprises (SMMEs) and Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower (BOCCIM) fairs to market my business.
'We have registered through LEA to attend the Global Expo that will be held in Gaborone in the near future,' said Muzawazi.
Although the business is currently doing well it is faced with the problem of lack of machinery to produce the bags in large numbers, he said. 'I have written a proposal to Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) to ask for more funds to buy machinery for my business. 'I have also talked to Cape Union Mart with a view of supplying them with my products since they sell similar products to mine,' said the optimistic entrepreneur.
Muzawazi's company Africo DŽcor Designs also sells handbags, wallets, shoes, sculptures, bone carvings and steel works. He is a Motswana of Zezuru origin with a minimum of a Junior Certificate qualification. He hails from Blue Town location in Francistown and encourages young entrepreneurs not to give up when their business is not doing well.
'The youth should diversify their product base if they want to progress in business. They should recognise that the arts are a multi-million pula industry that people have not fully explored,' said Muzawazi.