Quilt entrepreneur scoops WIBA award
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Wednesday October 26, 2016 16:35
Brook who is the director of DuduBrook Quilting Loft went home with two awards after she was named WIBA Social Entrepreneur and Business Woman of the Year, walking away with a P50,000 cheque at the awards ceremony that was held at Travel Lodge in the capital. The awards were divided into seven categories being; Young Female Entrepreneur of the Year; Female Innovator of the Year; Inspirational Woman of the Year; Female Social Entrepreneur of the Year; The Female Collaboration Award and The Informal Business Woman Award. The nominees of the categories vied for the overall Business Woman of the Year Award, which was won by Brook.
Her company, which was established in 2008, is the only citizen-owned and managed quilting business in the country.
It specialises in supplying quilting accessories and fabrics. DuduBrook Quilting Loft is currently the agent of Bernina sewing machine in the country. Brook said she never expected to win the prestigious award.
“I am still drunk with shock. I didn’t expect to win the woman of the year award. I believed I could win the social entrepreneur award, but not this one,” she said.
Brook said that quilting had lost meaning to Batswana, but she picked it up as a hobby and later made it into a business after realising that many people, especially overseas, liked her work. “I realised I could make money out of it. I have raised my kids through it,” she said.
She added that she intends to start an academy where those interested in learning how to quilt could enrol.
She said that while her business has not attracted many admirers locally, she has been getting international recognition for her work.